Is Anthem the same as Blue Cross Blue Shield?

In 14 states, yes. Blue Cross Blue Shield is an association of independent local insurers rather than a single company, and Anthem's parent Elevance Health holds the Blue Cross and Blue Shield license in California, Colorado, Connecticut, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Maine, Missouri, Nevada, New Hampshire, New York, Ohio, Virginia and Wisconsin. In those states the company trades as Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield, or Anthem Blue Cross in California. Everywhere else, the Blue Cross plan is a different company entirely and has no connection to Anthem. This matters if you move, because your plan does not transfer to another state's Blue licensee.

What states does Anthem offer Medicare Advantage plans in?

Anthem offers Medicare Advantage plans in parts of 14 states: California, Colorado, Connecticut, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Maine, Missouri, Nevada, New Hampshire, New York, Ohio, Virginia and Wisconsin. Availability is set county by county rather than statewide, so large portions of several of those states have no Anthem Medicare Advantage plans at all. If you live outside the 14, Anthem is not an option for you regardless of what you find advertised nationally.

Is Anthem cutting Medicare Advantage plans for 2027?

Anthem has not announced any Medicare Advantage plan or county exits for 2027. It made its cuts a year earlier, exiting selected plans and counties plus the standalone Part D market for 2026, which affected roughly 150,000 members. On Elevance Health's second-quarter 2026 earnings call the company said the 2026 actions were performing as expected and that 2027 bids were submitted with a focus on sustainable margin improvement, with no footprint reductions announced. That is not a guarantee your specific plan renews, since individual plan consolidations are only disclosed in the non-renewal notices carriers must send by October 1.

How good are Anthem's Medicare Advantage star ratings?

Mid-pack in absolute terms, but improving faster than almost anyone. For 2026, 53% of Elevance's Medicare Advantage members are in plans rated 4 stars or higher, up from roughly 40% the prior year. Over the same period Humana fell to about 20% and Aetna fell to about 81%, while UnitedHealthcare held above 77% and Kaiser stayed near 100%. Star ratings are assigned per contract rather than per carrier, so check the rating on the specific plan available in your county rather than relying on the company average. The 2027 ratings publish in October 2026.

Does Anthem Medicare Advantage include prescription drug coverage?

Most Anthem Medicare Advantage plans include Part D prescription coverage, and every special needs plan is required to. This is now the only route to drug coverage through Anthem, because the company exited the standalone Part D market entirely for the 2026 plan year. If you want an Anthem plan and you take prescriptions, the coverage has to come bundled inside the Medicare Advantage plan. Check that each of your medications appears on that specific plan's 2027 formulary and at what tier, since formularies are rebuilt annually.

MediBlue is Anthem's brand name for its Medicare Advantage plans. You will see it as MediBlue HMO, MediBlue PPO and variants such as MediBlue Access. It is a marketing name rather than a plan type, so two MediBlue plans in different counties can have completely different premiums, networks and benefits. Anthem also offers dual-eligible, chronic-condition and institutional special needs plans, which may or may not carry the MediBlue name depending on the market.

How much do Anthem Medicare Advantage plans cost in 2027?

Individual 2027 premiums and copays are not available yet. Plan-level data for every 2027 Medicare Advantage plan publishes October 1, 2026, and any specific 2027 Anthem premium quoted before that date is an estimate rather than a rate. What is confirmed is federal: the Part D out-of-pocket cap is $2,400, the maximum Part D deductible is $700, and the Medicare Advantage out-of-pocket maximum can reach $9,850 in network or $14,800 combined. Many Anthem plans carry a $0 monthly premium, but you continue paying your Part B premium regardless of which plan you choose.

What extra benefits do Anthem Medicare Advantage plans include?

Anthem names dental, vision and hearing coverage, monthly allowances for over-the-counter items and healthy foods, utility assistance allowances, and SilverSneakers fitness membership. Insulin is capped at $35 per month with no deductible applied. Depth varies enormously between plans and counties, and some benefits such as utility allowances are typically limited to special needs plans rather than offered across the board. Read the eligible-item lists and annual maximums rather than the headline figures, since that is where two plans advertising the same benefit differ most.

What will happen to Medicare Advantage in 2027?

The market is contracting rather than expanding. Roughly one in ten Medicare Advantage members is in a plan that will not be offered in 2027, with Humana alone exiting plans covering about 600,000 members. Carriers are concentrating on higher-rated, higher-margin plans because contracts at 4 stars and above earn bonus payments, and the effect falls hardest on rural counties where fewer carriers compete. Federally, the Part D out-of-pocket cap rises to $2,400 and the maximum deductible to $700. Anthem is one of the few large carriers with no announced 2027 reductions.

When can I enroll in an Anthem Medicare Advantage plan for 2027?

Annual Enrollment runs October 15 through December 7, 2026, for coverage beginning January 1, 2027. If you are already in a Medicare Advantage plan, the Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period from January 1 to March 31, 2027 allows one further change. A Special Enrollment Period may apply if you move out of your plan's service area, become eligible for Medicaid or Extra Help, or your current plan is discontinued. If you are new to Medicare, your Initial Enrollment Period spans the three months before through the three months after the month you turn 65.

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RussellNoga

Russell Noga is the founder of CompareMedicareAdvantage.org, and is a Medicare insurance broker licensed in all 50 states. He works with other licensed insurance agents and partners to keep plan information accurate and current for the 2027 Medicare Advantage enrollment season and beyond.