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Medica Medicare Advantage 2027: PPO Plans in Minnesota, the Dakotas and Nebraska

Reviewed by Russell Noga, Licensed Medicare Insurance Broker (all 50 states) — Last updated November 7, 2026

Medica is a nonprofit health plan based in Minnetonka, Minnesota. For 2027 its Medicare Advantage business is concentrated in four Upper Midwest states, and it is built mostly on PPOs, which is unusual at a time when many insurers are moving people into HMOs.

Our count of CMS’s 2027 plan files finds 24 individual Medica Medicare Advantage plans in 163 counties of Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota and Nebraska. Medica also keeps 15 Medica Prime Solution cost plans, a different kind of Medicare plan explained below. Iowa’s Medica Advantage PPOs do not continue into 2027. Annual Enrollment runs October 15 to December 7, 2026.

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Medica Medicare Advantage 2027: 24 plans in 163 counties of Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota and Nebraska; 23 of 24 are PPOs; 15 Prime Solution cost plans

Where Medica Sells Medicare Advantage in 2027

Medica’s plan names tell you the tier: Value, Essential, Select and Preferred, with Salute built for veterans and two dual plans for people with Medicaid. Which tiers you can buy depends on your state and county:

State 2027 Medica MA plans Counties with a Medica MA plan Plan names sold
Minnesota 12 71 of 87 Value, Essential, Select, Preferred, Salute, DUAL Solution (HMO D-SNP)
South Dakota 7 27 of 66 Essential, Select, Preferred, Salute
North Dakota 5 23 of 53 Value, Select, Preferred, Salute, Dual (PPO D-SNP)
Nebraska 3 42 of 93 Essential, Select, Salute

Source: our analysis of CMS 2027 Plan Benefit Package and plan service area data, contracts H8889 and H2458, individual (non-employer) plans. Plan counts include county segments; Salute is one plan sold across all four states.

In North Dakota, the full Medica Advantage menu (Value, Select and Preferred) is sold in just four counties: Burleigh, Morton, Grand Forks and Stutsman. Elsewhere in the state the choices narrow to Salute and the dual plan.

Our Analysis: What the CMS Files Show About Medica

Our analysis of CMS 2027 plan data

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23 of 24 plans are PPOs. The one HMO is Medica DUAL Solution, a dual special needs plan in Minnesota. A PPO lets you see out-of-network providers, usually at a higher cost share.

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Five plans in the Twin Cities. In Hennepin County, Medica files 5 individual plans, behind Allina Health Aetna Medicare (8) and UnitedHealthcare (6) and ahead of HealthPartners (3) and Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota (2).

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Two plans for people with Medicaid: Medica DUAL Solution in 54 Minnesota counties and Medica Advantage Dual in 23 North Dakota counties.

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No Medica Medicare Advantage plans in Iowa or Wisconsin for 2027. Medica cost plans are still filed in 13 Iowa counties and 16 Wisconsin counties.

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Hennepin County Medicare Advantage carriers 2027: Allina Health Aetna 8, UnitedHealthcare 6, Medica 5, HealthPartners 3, Blue Cross MN 2, Blue Plus 1

Medica Cost Plans Are Not Medicare Advantage

Medica is one of the last big sellers of Medicare cost plans, sold as Medica Prime Solution. CMS’s 2027 files list 15 individual Prime Solution plans (Thrift, Basic, Core, Standard, Enhanced, Premier and Focus, some with drug coverage) reaching 170 counties in Minnesota, the Dakotas, Nebraska, Iowa and Wisconsin.

The difference matters if your doctors are outside the network. With a cost plan, care outside the network is generally paid by Original Medicare, with the usual Medicare deductibles and coinsurance. With a Medicare Advantage plan, the plan pays, and out-of-network care is only covered on a PPO. You can usually join a cost plan at other times of the year if it is open to new members, while Medicare Advantage switches are tied to set enrollment periods.

Iowa: Medica PPOs end for 2027

An October 21, 2026 report carried by InsuranceNewsNet lists Medica Advantage Preferred PPO (H8889-011), Select PPO (H8889-015), Solution PPO (H8889-009) and Value PPO (H8889-010) among plans “completely canceled” for Iowans, and says the loss of Wellmark and Medica PPOs ends in-network Mayo Clinic coverage for some Iowans. If you had one of these plans, look for your plan’s non-renewal letter and see our Iowa Medicare Advantage guide.

What a Medica Plan May Include

Benefits vary by tier and county, so read the 2027 Summary of Benefits for the exact plan. Medica Advantage plans may include:

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Out-of-network coverage on the PPO plans, which can matter if you use Mayo Clinic, Sanford, Essentia or another system that is not in every network.

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Dental, vision and hearing benefits on some tiers, often richer on Select and Preferred than on Value and Essential.

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Part D drug coverage on most plans, with 2027 Part D out-of-pocket costs capped at $2,400.

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Salute, a plan aimed at veterans, which is usually designed to work alongside VA care rather than replace it.

Minnesota insurers are trimming 2027 plans: MPR News reported on October 2, 2026 that Medica, among others, is pulling back or restructuring Medicare Advantage plans, and CareRoute lists Medica as reducing its Minnesota service area. Check that your county still has the tier you want.

Who Medica Fits

A good fit if you:

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Live in Minnesota, the Dakotas or eastern Nebraska

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Want a PPO with some out-of-network coverage

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Are a veteran who uses VA care and wants a lower-cost add-on plan

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Have Medicare and Medicaid in Minnesota or North Dakota

Look harder at other options if you:

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Live in Iowa or Wisconsin, where Medica sells no 2027 Medicare Advantage plans

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Want the most plan tiers in western North Dakota, where only Salute and the dual plan are sold

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Expect a cost plan and a Medicare Advantage plan to work the same way

Compare Medica with HealthPartners, Blue Cross, UnitedHealthcare and the Allina Health Aetna plans on total yearly cost, not just premium.

Before You Enroll: Medica Checklist

1

Confirm the tier in your county. Value, Essential, Select and Preferred are not sold everywhere.

2

Decide between a cost plan and Medicare Advantage. Prime Solution cost plans and Medica Advantage plans pay for out-of-network care differently.

3

Check your hospital system in the 2027 provider directory, especially for Mayo Clinic or Sanford.

4

Look up your drugs in the 2027 formulary.

5

Compare the out-of-pocket maximum for in-network and combined care.

6

Enroll by December 7, 2026 for January 1, 2027 coverage. See every company in our Minnesota Medicare Advantage guide.

Compare Medica Medicare Advantage Plans for 2027

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Medica Medicare Advantage 2027 — Frequently Asked Questions

➤ Which states have Medica Medicare Advantage plans in 2027?

CMS’s 2027 files list Medica Medicare Advantage plans in Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota and Nebraska, 163 counties in all.

➤ Is Medica leaving Iowa?

Medica’s Iowa Medicare Advantage PPOs do not continue for 2027, according to a list of canceled plans reported October 21, 2026 (InsuranceNewsNet). CMS’s 2027 files show Medica cost plans, but no Medica Medicare Advantage plans, in Iowa.

➤ Are Medica plans HMOs or PPOs?

Almost all are PPOs. In our count, 23 of Medica’s 24 individual 2027 Medicare Advantage plans are PPOs; the exception is Medica DUAL Solution, an HMO dual special needs plan in Minnesota.

➤ What is Medica Prime Solution?

Medica Prime Solution is Medica’s line of Medicare cost plans. They are not Medicare Advantage plans. CMS lists 15 individual Prime Solution plans for 2027.

➤ What is Medica Advantage Salute?

Salute is a Medica Advantage PPO designed for veterans. CMS’s 2027 files list it in Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota and Nebraska.

➤ Does Medica have a plan for people with Medicaid?

Yes. Medica DUAL Solution (HMO D-SNP) is filed in 54 Minnesota counties and Medica Advantage Dual (PPO D-SNP) in 23 North Dakota counties for 2027.

➤ How many Medica plans are sold in Hennepin County?

Five individual Medica Medicare Advantage plans are filed in Hennepin County for 2027, in our count of CMS files.

➤ When can I switch to a Medica plan for 2027?

Annual Enrollment runs October 15 to December 7, 2026. If your plan is ending, you also get a special enrollment period; the Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period runs January 1 to March 31, 2027.

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 1-855-454-9051 (TTY 711), Mon–Fri 8am–9pm EST.

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