Medicare Advantage in 2027: What to Check Before You Choose a Plan

Data checked October 1, 2026. Landscape calculations use the CMS files updated September 30, 2026.

2027 Medicare Advantage plans remain widely available across the nation, but the details inside those plans are changing. Premiums are only one part of the picture. Your plan’s provider network, prescription coverage, copays and annual out-of-pocket limit can have a much larger effect on what you pay and where you receive care.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) projects that the enrollment-weighted average Medicare Advantage premium will decrease from $14.37 in 2026 to $12 in 2027. CMS also says more than 99% of people with Medicare will have access to at least one Medicare Advantage plan, and 97% will have at least 10 choices.

That broad national picture is reassuring. It does not mean your current plan will have the same costs, benefits or network next year.

The number of 2027 Medicare Advantage plans is relatively stable

CMS projects that the national number of available Medicare Advantage plans will remain fairly stable in 2027. Its September announcement estimated approximately 5,532 plans nationwide, compared with 5,553 in 2026.

Our review of the updated CMS landscape file identified 5,522 distinct Medicare Advantage offerings for 2027, down 31 from 2026. The small difference from CMS’s announcement likely reflects the timing and treatment of updates in the downloadable file.

What this means for you: National plan availability is stable, but Medicare Advantage is local. Enter your ZIP code in Medicare Plan Finder to see the plans actually available where you live.

Zero-dollar premiums remain common, but premium is not the whole cost

In the updated landscape file, about 70% of Medicare Advantage plans that include Part D coverage list a $0 consolidated plan premium. You must generally continue paying your Medicare Part B premium, and a $0 plan premium does not mean your health care is free.

Look beyond the monthly premium and compare:

• Primary care and specialist copays
• Hospital and outpatient costs
• The in-network maximum out-of-pocket limit
• Prescription drug deductibles and copays
• Provider and pharmacy networks
• Prior authorization rules

CMS estimates that approximately eight in 10 Medicare Advantage enrollees will be able to remain in their current plan with the same or a lower premium in 2027. Even if your premium does not rise, other costs or benefits may change.

Out-of-pocket limits are moving higher in many plans

Every Medicare Advantage plan has a yearly limit on what you pay for covered Part A and Part B services. This is commonly called the maximum out-of-pocket, or MOOP, limit. The limit does not include every expense, such as your Part B premium or most prescription drug costs.

The median in-network MOOP in the CMS landscape file increased from $6,500 in 2026 to $7,100 in 2027.

What this means for you: Two plans with the same premium can expose you to very different costs when you use care. Compare the MOOP limit along with the copays for services you are likely to use.

Prescription drug deductibles are higher in many MA-PD plans

Among Medicare Advantage plans with prescription drug coverage, the unweighted average annual drug deductible in the CMS landscape file rose from about $434 in 2026 to $525 in 2027.

The deductible may not apply to every drug tier. Some plans cover certain generic or preferred drugs before you meet the deductible.

What this means for you: Enter each medication in Medicare Plan Finder and compare estimated annual costs—not just the deductible. Check the formulary, drug tier, participating pharmacies and any prior authorization or step therapy requirements.

Special Needs Plan options are expanding

Special Needs Plans, or SNPs, are Medicare Advantage plans designed for defined groups of people, such as people who have both Medicare and Medicaid, live in certain institutions or have specific chronic conditions.

Benefits and eligibility requirements vary. A larger number of SNP offerings does not mean every option is available in every county or that a person qualifies for a particular plan.

What this means for you: If you think a SNP may fit your circumstances, review the plan’s eligibility rules, provider network, drug coverage and service area with Medicare or a licensed insurance agent.

Carrier participation is changing

The CMS landscape file shows that some parent organizations expanded their number of Medicare Advantage offerings while others reduced them.

These counts describe plan offerings, not enrollment, quality or whether a carrier serves your area. Growth does not make one carrier a better fit, and contraction does not mean every plan from that carrier is ending.

What this means for you: Read your Annual Notice of Change and Evidence of Coverage. Confirm that your plan is continuing in your county and that your doctors, hospitals, prescriptions and preferred pharmacies will still be covered as expected.

What to do before Medicare Open Enrollment

You can compare 2027 plans beginning October 1. Medicare Open Enrollment runs from October 15 through December 7, 2026, and changes made during this period generally take effect January 1, 2027.

Use Medicare Plan Finder for an official comparison, or connect with a licensed SmartMatch insurance agent for help reviewing Medicare Advantage options available in your area.

Methodology

Unless identified as a CMS projection, figures above are SmartMatch calculations from distinct contract-plan-segment records in the CMS landscape files updated September 30, 2026. The analysis excludes Medicare Cost plans and standalone Part D plans. Averages and distributions calculated from plan records are unweighted and do not represent enrollment-weighted beneficiary experience. Landscape data can change as contracts are finalized.