Medicare Advantage Plans Changes 2027

THE BIGGEST 2027 CHANGE IS THE ONE NOBODY IS REPORTING

Plan exits and county cuts get the coverage. The change that will affect the most people is quieter: premiums fell 16.5% nationally, from $14.37 to $12.00, while published plan data shows out-of-pocket maximums rose about 10% and Part D deductibles rose about 30%.

Most members will not lose their plan. Most members will find their plan costs the same each month and more when they actually use it. That is the change to check for in your Annual Notice of Change.

One caveat on that premium figure. The $12.00 average includes special needs plans, which pull it downward. Weighted across the plans most people actually shop, analysts put the industry average closer to flat year over year. Treat the 16.5% fall as a headline, not as what will happen to your bill.

⚑What carriers decided, now public

Individual plan premiums, deductibles, supplemental benefit amounts, provider networks and drug formularies for 2027 are carrier decisions, and they went live on Medicare Plan Finder on October 1, 2026. Specific 2027 benefits depend on the plan and your area, and not every plan offers every benefit. The one major figure still to come is the official 2027 Part B premium, which CMS announces in November.

What this argues for 2027

Less pressure to cut supplemental benefits than in the last two cycles. It is not a guarantee, and carriers may still trim dental, vision, hearing or over-the-counter allowances depending on the plan and the market, but the financial case for deep cuts is weaker than it was a year ago.

What it does not change

Carriers continue to exit counties where their own economics do not work, regardless of the national average. The Humana non-renewals are the clearest example: the largest single announced exit for 2027, in a year of rising payment. If you hold a Humana plan, read which Humana plans are ending in 2027 to confirm whether yours is affected.

SOMEBODY IS GROWING

While the largest carriers pulled back, Devoted Health added 336 counties for 2027, the single biggest expansion of any carrier, and Alignment added nine. If your plan is going away, there may be a new option in your county that was not there last year.

Self-attestation is over

Plans must now use objective criteria to decide who qualifies for these benefits. You cannot simply attest that you have a qualifying condition. Plans must also publicly post their eligibility criteria, so you can check before you enroll rather than after you are denied.

Debit cards must come with full disclosure

If a plan issues a benefit card for groceries, over-the-counter items or utilities, it must disclose every condition attached to it and every eligible item. It must also maintain an alternative reimbursement mechanism for when the card does not work at the register.

What CMS chose not to do

CMS proposed but did not finalize a ban on marketing the dollar value of supplemental benefits including debit cards. It also declined to remove the pathway that lets Dual Eligible Special Needs Plans offer supplemental benefits. Both stay as they are for 2027.

A $0 premium plan is not free

The $0 refers only to what the insurer charges. You still pay your Medicare Part B premium every month, and that is the larger of the two numbers by a wide margin. Higher earners also pay IRMAA surcharges on both Part B and Part D, billed by Social Security rather than by the plan.

1Check for a non-renewal letter

If your plan is not being renewed, the carrier was required to tell you in writing in early October 2026. Humana’s letters are dated October 2. A non-renewal letter changes your whole timeline and gives you a Special Enrollment Period running through the end of February.

2Read your Annual Notice of Change

The ANOC was mailed by September 30 and is the only document that tells you exactly how your own plan is different in 2027: premium, cost sharing, benefit amounts and network. National averages tell you nothing about your specific plan. This does.

3Check supplemental benefit eligibility before enrolling

Because plans must now publish objective criteria for chronic-illness benefits, you can verify whether you actually qualify before you pick a plan on the strength of a grocery allowance or flex card. Do that rather than assuming.

4Compare in your own county now

2027 plan details and star ratings are already public. Enrollment opens October 15 and closes December 7. Start from Medicare Advantage plans 2027 for what is available, and see Medicare open enrollment 2027 for the full calendar.

➤ What are the biggest Medicare Advantage plans changes for 2027?

Three stand out. CMS finalized a 2.48% average payment increase to plans, worth over $13 billion. Humana is discontinuing plans covering roughly 600,000 members. And special supplemental benefits for the chronically ill now require objective eligibility criteria rather than self-attestation. Out-of-pocket maximums and drug deductibles are also rising even as the average premium falls to $12.00.

➤ Are Medicare Advantage benefits being cut in 2027?

On many plans, cost sharing is rising: published plan data shows out-of-pocket maximums up about 10% and Part D deductibles up about 30%. Plans are being paid 2.48% more, which eases pressure to cut extras, but supplemental benefits may still change depending on the plan and your area. Check your Annual Notice of Change and the plan’s 2027 Summary of Benefits.

➤ When did 2027 Medicare Advantage plan details come out?

October 1, 2026, when 2027 premiums, benefits, provider networks and drug formularies went live on Medicare Plan Finder. CMS released the 2027 star ratings on October 8. Enrollment opens October 15 and closes December 7, with coverage starting January 1, 2027.

➤ Why are plans leaving if Medicare Advantage payment is going up?

The 2.48% is a national average across the entire market, not a payment to any specific plan in any specific county. Carriers make county-level decisions based on their own costs and enrollment. A plan can be discontinued in your area during a year when the industry as a whole receives more money.

➤ What is changing with flex cards and grocery allowances in 2027?

You can no longer self-certify that you have a qualifying chronic condition, and plans must publish objective eligibility criteria you can check before enrolling. Plans issuing benefit debit cards must disclose every condition and eligible item and keep an alternative reimbursement route if the card fails. Dollar amounts are individual plan decisions, now on Medicare Plan Finder.

➤ Are Medicare Advantage Star Ratings changing for 2027?

Yes. The 2027 ratings, released October 8, 2026, added two drug-safety measures, tripled the weight of the physical and mental health improvement measures, updated the colorectal cancer screening measure and retired a few others. The average dipped to 3.99 and five-star contracts fell to 15 from 22. Further measure removals from the 2027 final rule start with the 2028 and 2029 ratings.

➤ How do the 2027 Part D changes affect my Medicare Advantage plan?

If your Medicare Advantage plan includes drug coverage, the Part D rules apply to it. The standard deductible rises to $700 and the annual out-of-pocket cap to $2,400 for 2027. Your plan may set a lower deductible but cannot exceed the maximum, and once you hit $2,400 in out-of-pocket drug spending you pay nothing more for covered drugs that year.

➤ What should I do if my Medicare Advantage plan is discontinued for 2027?

Your carrier was required to notify you in writing in early October 2026. A discontinued plan triggers a Special Enrollment Period running from December 8 through the end of February, on top of the standard October 15 to December 7 window. Acting during the fall window is cleaner because it gives you an uninterrupted January 1 start.