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CareFirst Medicare Advantage Plans 2027: Coverage and Costs

Reviewed by Russell Noga, Licensed Medicare Insurance Broker (all 50 states) — Last updated October 2, 2026

CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield is the largest not-for-profit health insurer in the mid-Atlantic, serving roughly 3.5 million members. Its Medicare Advantage plans are a regional product with a national network behind them, which is an unusual combination worth understanding before you enroll.

This page covers where CareFirst Medicare Advantage is actually available for 2027, which plans it offers, and how to check whether your plan is changing.

CareFirst Medicare Advantage plans for 2027 including Advantage Essential, Complete, Salute and DualPrime

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Where CareFirst Medicare Advantage Is Available

This is the part that trips people up, so it is worth being precise.

Individual Medicare Advantage plans are offered in Maryland and Washington, D.C. CareFirst’s broader service area includes Northern Virginia, and its Medicare Supplement plans are sold there — but its individual Medicare Advantage plans are not. If you live in Arlington, Alexandria or Fairfax, CareFirst Medigap is available to you; CareFirst Medicare Advantage is not.

Within Maryland, availability is set county by county and differs by plan. Some CareFirst plans exclude Baltimore City and Baltimore County. Others are open across a smaller group of counties. Always check your own ZIP code rather than assuming statewide availability.

Group retiree plans through a former employer follow different rules and can reach members outside that individual footprint.

CareFirst Medicare Advantage Plans for 2027

CareFirst builds its Medicare Advantage lineup mostly around PPOs, with a dual-eligible HMO for people who also have Medicaid.

ADVANTAGE ESSENTIAL (PPO)

The lower-cost PPO option. Availability is limited by county within Maryland. Like all CareFirst PPOs, it lets you go out of network at a higher cost share rather than refusing coverage entirely.

ADVANTAGE COMPLETE (PPO)

The broader PPO, available across Maryland and Washington, D.C. Typically carries richer supplemental benefits than Essential in exchange for a higher premium or cost share, depending on the plan and area.

ADVANTAGE SALUTE (PPO)

Built for veterans and military retirees in Maryland and D.C. who have Medicare alongside VA or TRICARE For Life coverage. Designed so the two sets of benefits work together rather than duplicating each other.

DUALPRIME (HMO D-SNP)

A dual-eligible special needs plan for people who qualify for both Medicare and Medicaid. Unlike the PPOs, this one is an HMO, so the network rules are stricter. You must have Medicaid to enrol.

Specific 2027 premiums, copays and supplemental benefits vary by plan and county, and not every plan offers every benefit. Check the plan documents for your own ZIP code before enrolling.

Where CareFirst Medicare Advantage plans are available in Maryland, Washington D.C. and Northern Virginia

The PPO Network Advantage

CareFirst is a regional insurer, which normally means a regional network. Its Medicare Advantage PPOs work differently, and this is the strongest argument for the carrier.

In-network providers include local doctors CareFirst contracts with directly across Maryland, D.C. and Northern Virginia, plus providers nationwide who participate in the BlueCross BlueShield Medicare Advantage PPO network. CareFirst reports more than 7,000 providers in its local network alone.

For a snowbird, or anyone with family care needs in another state, that national Blue network is a meaningful difference from an HMO built around one metro area. Compare it against Blue Cross Medicare Advantage plans in other regions to see how the Blue network model works elsewhere.

What Is Changing for 2027

The mid-Atlantic is one of the harder-hit areas of the 2027 Medicare Advantage market. Maryland and Washington, D.C. are each losing roughly a quarter of the Medicare Advantage plans available to residents compared with 2026.

That does not single out CareFirst — it reflects carriers across the market trimming plans. But it does mean a CareFirst member in Maryland or D.C. has a higher than average chance of their specific plan changing or ending for 2027.

Read your Annual Notice of Change. Plans mail it by September 30. It lists exactly what changes for your plan in 2027 — premium, copays, drug list, network and whether the plan is continuing at all. If your plan is ending, you may qualify for a Special Enrollment Period that extends past December 7.

For the wider picture on carrier exits this year, see which Medicare Advantage plans are going away in 2027.

2027 federal limits on CareFirst Medicare Advantage plans including the $9,850 out-of-pocket maximum and $2,400 Part D cap

Federal Limits That Apply to Every CareFirst Plan

Some 2027 numbers are already locked in, because Medicare sets them for every carrier.

What 2027 limit
Medicare Advantage out-of-pocket maximum, in network No plan may exceed $9,850
PPO combined in and out-of-network maximum Up to $14,800
Part D out-of-pocket cap $2,400
Maximum Part D deductible $700

Many plans set limits well below the federal maximum, so the ceiling tells you the worst case rather than what you will actually pay. You also continue paying your Medicare Part B premium on any Medicare Advantage plan, including a $0 premium one.

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How CareFirst Compares in the Mid-Atlantic

CareFirst is not the only option in Maryland and D.C. The national carriers all compete there, and the right comparison depends on what you value.

  • If network freedom matters most — CareFirst’s PPO plus the national Blue network is a strong fit, particularly if you travel or split time between states
  • If you want the widest plan choice — compare against UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage plans and Humana Medicare Advantage plans, which typically offer more plans per county
  • If you qualify for Medicaid too — compare DualPrime against other D-SNPs in your county, since dual-eligible plans vary widely in extra benefits
  • If you live in Northern Virginia — CareFirst Medicare Advantage is not available to you individually; look at 2027 plans by carrier for what is
  • If you are moving north or own a second home — Highmark Medicare Advantage plans are the Blues licensee next door, covering Delaware, Pennsylvania, West Virginia and parts of New York; it is a separate company from CareFirst with its own networks and plan designs despite the shared Blue Cross name

YOUR CAREFIRST CHECKLIST

Five steps before you enroll

1. Confirm the plan is offered in your county. Maryland availability varies plan by plan, and Northern Virginia is excluded for individual Medicare Advantage.

2. Check your doctors against the 2027 directory. Networks are rebuilt every year — do not rely on last year’s list.

3. Run your prescriptions through the 2027 formulary. Check the tier each drug sits on, not just whether it is covered.

4. Compare total cost, not premium. Add the yearly premium to the plan’s out-of-pocket maximum and compare that figure across plans.

5. Enroll between October 15 and December 7, 2026 for coverage starting January 1, 2027 — unless a Special Enrollment Period applies to you.

Ready to see what is available where you live? Compare 2027 Medicare Advantage plans by ZIP code and view costs, networks and benefits side by side.

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CareFirst Medicare Advantage FAQs

➤  Where are CareFirst Medicare Advantage plans available?

Individual CareFirst Medicare Advantage plans are offered in Maryland and Washington, D.C. Availability within Maryland is set county by county and differs by plan. CareFirst’s wider service area includes Northern Virginia, and its Medicare Supplement plans are sold there, but its individual Medicare Advantage plans are not.

➤  Is CareFirst Medicare Advantage an HMO or a PPO?

Most CareFirst Medicare Advantage plans are PPOs, which means you can see out-of-network providers at a higher cost share rather than losing coverage. The exception is DualPrime, its dual-eligible special needs plan, which is an HMO.

➤  Can I use a CareFirst plan outside Maryland and D.C.?

Yes. CareFirst Medicare Advantage PPO plans include providers nationwide who participate in the BlueCross BlueShield Medicare Advantage PPO network, alongside local contracted providers. You must still live in the plan’s service area to enrol and stay enrolled.

➤  Is CareFirst leaving Medicare Advantage in 2027?

CareFirst continues to offer Medicare Advantage plans for 2027. Individual plans can still change or be discontinued county by county, and Maryland and Washington, D.C. are each losing roughly a quarter of the total Medicare Advantage plans available compared with 2026. Your Annual Notice of Change tells you what is happening to your specific plan.

➤  What is CareFirst Advantage Salute?

A CareFirst Medicare Advantage PPO designed for veterans and military retirees in Maryland and Washington, D.C. who have Medicare alongside VA or TRICARE For Life benefits. It is built so the two sets of coverage complement each other instead of overlapping.

➤  Do I still pay my Part B premium with CareFirst?

Yes. You must keep Medicare Part A and Part B and keep paying your Part B premium on any Medicare Advantage plan, including a $0 premium plan. Some plans offer a Part B giveback that reduces what you pay, but availability and amounts vary by plan and area.

New to Medicare?

If you are new to Medicare, then you can enroll in a 2027 Medicare Advantage plan up to three months prior to your Medicare Part B effective date.

Call one of our licensed insurance agents to see what the best time frame is for you to enroll, based on your current situation. You can contact them at 1-855-409-6195 (TTY 711), Mon–Fri 8am–9pm EST.

Have Questions?

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