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Medicare coverage can change every year, but 2027 is bringing some especially important changes for Medicare beneficiaries to review.
Medicare Advantage plan availability, prescription drug coverage, premiums, deductibles, provider networks and supplemental benefits may all look different next year. For some Medicare Advantage members, the biggest change is that their current plan may no longer be available in their area for 2027.
We created this page to help Tampa Bay Medicare beneficiaries understand what is changing, what information is still coming, and what options may be available if your current Medicare Advantage plan is changing or leaving your area.
Several Medicare changes are already confirmed for 2027, while other important details will become available as Medicare and insurance carriers release their final information for the year.
Medicare Advantage plans can change from year to year. Plan availability, provider networks, medical copays, prescription coverage and supplemental benefits should all be reviewed before choosing coverage for 2027.
The standard Part D deductible increases from $615 in 2026 to $700 in 2027, and the annual out-of-pocket threshold increases from $2,100 to $2,400. Individual Medicare Advantage and Part D plans can have different deductibles and cost-sharing depending on the plan and drug tier.
CMS has also announced that the temporary Part D Premium Stabilization Demonstration for participating stand-alone prescription drug plans will end after 2026.
We will update these Part A and Part B amounts when the official 2027 Medicare figures are released.
Some Medicare Advantage plans will not be offered in all of the same areas in 2027. If a plan is no longer available in your county, it is important to understand how the change affects you and what coverage options you may have for January 1.
One of the biggest Medicare Advantage stories for 2027 is the continued reduction of certain plans and service areas. This is often referred to as a Service Area Reduction, or SAR.
Medicare Advantage plans are offered within specific geographic service areas. A carrier can decide not to renew a plan in a particular county or remove that county from the plan's service area for the following year.
If your plan will no longer be offered where you live, your current coverage cannot simply continue into 2027. You will need to review the coverage choices available to you for January 1.
Approximately 600,000 Humana Medicare Advantage members are expected to be affected by targeted plan exits for 2027.
Humana disclosed the expected impact during its July 29, 2026 earnings call. The company said it plans targeted exits while prioritizing higher-performing plans and will try to retain some affected members in other Humana Medicare Advantage plans where available.
The announcement does not mean every Humana Medicare Advantage plan is leaving. The effect depends on the specific plan and service area.
A plan leaving your area does not mean there is one automatic replacement that is right for everyone. Your doctors, prescriptions, healthcare usage, travel habits, budget and priorities can all affect which type of coverage you may want to consider.
For many people, the easiest time to purchase Medicare Supplement Insurance, commonly called Medigap, is during their one-time Medigap Open Enrollment Period. But if your Medicare Advantage plan is leaving Medicare or will no longer cover your area, you may have another important opportunity to consider Medigap.
Your federal Medigap Open Enrollment Period lasts 6 months and begins the first month you have Medicare Part B and are age 65 or older. During this period, an insurance company cannot use medical underwriting to deny you a Medigap policy because of pre-existing health problems.
If your Medicare Advantage plan is leaving Medicare or will no longer cover where you live, you may have a Medigap guaranteed issue right if you switch to Original Medicare. That means the insurance company cannot use medical underwriting to deny eligible Medigap coverage because of your health.
Documentation matters. You may need to provide the insurance company with a copy of the letter, notice or other proof showing that your Medicare Advantage coverage is ending in order to establish your guaranteed issue right.
If you see only a few specialists, do not spend extended periods away from home, and referrals are not especially important to you, it may be worth comparing an HMO rather than automatically replacing one PPO with another PPO.
On the other hand, if you frequently use several specialists, spend long periods away from home, or strongly value direct specialist access, a PPO may still fit the way you use your coverage.
Having an HMO usually means working through your primary care doctor for specialist referrals. But think about what you do today: even with a PPO, if you need a new specialist, there's a good chance you'll ask your PCP who they recommend anyway.
And the doctor is only part of the experience. You often interact with the office staff even more than the doctor - scheduling appointments, getting prescriptions refilled, coordinating referrals and handling prior authorizations that can be required even with PPO coverage. A knowledgeable, responsive staff can make a big difference in how smoothly your healthcare works.
When you have a PCP you trust and an experienced staff that knows how to help Medicare patients navigate their care, an HMO may not feel nearly as restrictive as you expected.
With PPO copays and other out-of-pocket costs changing for 2027, this may be a good year to at least compare an HMO - even if you've never considered one before.
Direct specialist access can become more valuable when several specialists are an ongoing part of your care.
If you are regularly away from home for longer than 5 weeks at a time, PPO flexibility may deserve more weight in your comparison.
If being able to schedule specialists without first obtaining a referral is a high priority, that is a meaningful reason to consider a PPO.
Depending on the plans available in your area, an HMO may offer lower medical copays or prescription costs than the PPO options you are comparing.
Some Medicare Advantage HMOs may offer a Part B premium rebate. Availability and the amount vary by plan and county.
Depending on eligibility and the plan, additional benefits such as an OTC allowance or certain food benefits may be part of the comparison.
Enter your age, Florida ZIP code and gender to see an estimated monthly premium for Medigap Plan G.
Choose the answers that best describe how you use your coverage and what matters most to you.
Your Plan G estimate and HMO/PPO answers are shown together below, but they answer different questions. Medigap is an alternative coverage path; the HMO/PPO questionnaire only helps compare Medicare Advantage plan types.
If your Medicare Advantage plan is leaving Medicare or will no longer cover your area, you may have a guaranteed issue right that makes Medigap worth discussing.
Send your results to Will before your appointment so he can see which options and features matter most to you.
Your answers are not sent anywhere until you select Send Results.
Compare your Medicare options, learn how different coverage works, and understand what to review before making a decision.
Compare Plan G, Plan N and Medicare Advantage PPO coverage, including costs, provider flexibility and how each option works.
Compare Plan G, Plan N & PPO →Take a deeper look at Medicare Advantage, including HMOs, PPOs, provider networks, costs, referrals and additional benefits.
Explore Medicare Advantage →Understand the major differences between Medicare Supplement and Medicare Advantage before deciding which approach may fit your needs.
Compare Medigap & Medicare Advantage →Learn the differences between independent agents, captive agents and call centers—and why who you work with matters.
Compare Types of Medicare Agents →Doctors, prescriptions, plan benefits and costs can change. Learn why reviewing your Medicare coverage each year matters.
Learn About Medicare Plan Reviews →Whether you're considering Medicare Advantage, Medigap, or aren't sure which direction makes the most sense, we're here to help.
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