2027 Medicare Advantage Landscape by the Numbers: The Price to Join Has Held. The Price to Use Will Rise.
Each fall, CMS publishes Medicare Advantage and Part D Landscape file, which provides comprehensive information on upcoming plan offerings, premiums, geographic availability and more for MA, MA-PD and stand-alone Prescription Drug Plans. Together, this gives us a clear picture of upcoming opportunities and potential challenges during AEP.
This year, the data illustrates shifting costs. For 2027, most plans held premiums flat or even lowered them, and $0 plans became more common. However, out-of-pocket costs moved the other way with the vast majority of plans increasing deductibles and maximum out-of-pocket prices.
Medicare Advantage shoppers have fewer plans to choose from for 2027. Our analysis of more than 10 million data points in the CMS landscape files shows that 69% of counties lost MA-PD options, all five of the largest carriers pulled back and 72 counties have none left—along with more insights into the market. Explore the interactive graphic to see where plan options changed, and how this may impact your AEP strategy.
Scroll through the full breakdown below.
2027 MA Landscape by the Numbers
The Price to Join Has Held. The Price to Use Will Rise.
What's Behind the Numbers
This analysis compares the CMS Medicare Advantage and Part D Landscape files for 2026 and 2027. CMS publishes these files each fall, ahead of the Annual Enrollment Period, listing every approved plan in every county.
What the Files Include
- Every approved MA, MA-PD, special needs, cost and standalone drug plan, by county
- Monthly premiums, in-network maximum out-of-pocket and Part D deductibles
- Plan type (HMO, PPO and others) and parent organization
What They Don't
- Copays, medical deductibles and supplemental benefits such as dental and OTC
- Enrollment, so counts here reflect plans offered, not members
- Employer group plans, Part B-only plans and PACE; 2027 star ratings aren't yet included
Who Expanded and Who Pulled Back
Devoted added more counties than every other carrier combined. HCSC (now mostly branded HealthSpring) and Wellcare made the deepest cuts. Wellmark Advantage and NextBlue of North Dakota, both owned by Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, exited 193 counties in Iowa and the Dakotas, and Clear Spring Health and Molina left the individual MA market. Several health system plans also exited, including Providence, Sharp, Memorial Hermann and CHRISTUS.
Change in Counties Served With Individual MA Plans, 2026 to 2027
Every Big Five Carrier Got Smaller
The five carriers with the largest 2026 county footprints all shrank both their footprint and their Medicare Advantage individual plan lineup for 2027. Wellcare's cut was the steepest by far: 41% fewer plans.
The Average County Lost 2+ Plans
69% of counties have fewer MA-PD options for 2027 than they did for 2026. The pullback is sharpest across the upper Midwest and Mountain West. 72 counties lost every MA-PD plan for 2027, most of them in North Dakota, Minnesota and South Dakota.
Change in Avg. MA-PD Plans per County, by State
PPOs Take the Biggest Hit
PPO offerings fell 11% (1,553 to 1,389) while HMO counts held flat. Last year we saw HMO enrollment share rise because members were being funneled out of discontinued PPOs. For 2027, shoppers who want a PPO have fewer to choose from.
Individual (non-SNP) MA plans with and without drug coverage.
C-SNPs Surge +34%
While individual MA lineups shrank, chronic condition SNPs grew from 562 plans to 754. Nearly all of the growth came from plans built for cardiovascular disease, heart failure and diabetes. D-SNP counts dipped slightly and I-SNPs ticked up.
Premiums Hold. Out-of-Pocket Limits Climb.
The share of $0 premium plans barely moved. The real change is lower in the benefit design: fewer plans offer a MOOP under $5,000 and the $7,000–$8,000 band more than tripled its share as plans moved toward the higher CMS limits.
Share of MA-PD Plans by In-Network MOOP
for 2027 Medicare Advantage plans with drug coverage
$0 Drug Deductibles Get Scarce
Just 10.5% of 2027 MA-PD plans waive the Part D deductible, down from 16.1%. The average deductible rose 30% to $510, and 58% of plans now set it above $500. The standard deductible rose from $615 to $700 and the annual drug out-of-pocket cap from $2,100 to $2,400.
Share of MA-PD Plans by Part D Deductible
Five Shifts for Health Plan Marketers
Five shifts in the 2027 landscape and what they could mean for health plan marketers this AEP and beyond.
The Whole Cost Is Harder to Project
Premiums held while MOOPs and Part D deductibles rose, and both vary widely from plan to plan. No ad can show what a year will cost for every prospect. That puts more weight on the sales teams, brokers and call centers who can show the math.
January May Bring Pharmacy Surprises
Only 10.5% of MA-PD plans now waive the Part D deductible, down from 16.1%. More members may pay more at the pharmacy counter early in the year, which makes onboarding and first-fill communications more important for satisfaction and retention.
PPO Choices Are Shrinking
PPO offerings fell 11% for 2027, so shoppers who value network freedom have fewer options. Plans with broad networks may have a stronger story to tell than they did a year ago.
Plan Exits Keep Switchers in Play
Wellcare cut 41% of its plans, and several carriers left the individual MA market. Members of exiting plans get a special enrollment period from Dec. 8 through the end of February. Some will choose another MA plan and others will return to Original Medicare with a Medigap policy, so switching can continue well past AEP.
C-SNP Growth Signals Carrier Interest
C-SNP offerings grew 34%, a signal of where carriers see opportunity. Because targeting by health condition is restricted, condition-relevant content, contextual placement and visibility in AI search answers may matter more than audience targeting for reaching this group.
