Medicare 2026

Medicare in Ohio for 2027: 63 Advantage Plans Leaving, 31 New, and What Else Changes

COLUMBUS — The map of Medicare in Ohio looks different for 2027. According to CMS Landscape files for the state, 180 Medicare Advantage plans will be offered across Ohio's 88 counties next year, down from 212 in 2026. Behind that drop: 63 plans not returning anywhere in the state, 31 brand-new plans, and 55 plans continuing but changing a premium, drug deductible, plan type or plan name. Stand-alone Part D shrinks by one, the Part D out-of-pocket cap moves to a new ceiling, and Social Security benefits will rise 3.6 percent in January.

Here is what Ohio readers need to know before December 7, 2026 — the last day of Annual Enrollment 2027.

How many Medicare Advantage plans are offered in Ohio for 2027, and what is changing?

Ohio will have 180 Medicare Advantage plans in 2027, compared with 212 in 2026, according to CMS Landscape files. Of those, 63 plans are not returning anywhere in the state, 31 are new, and 55 are continuing but changing something material — a premium, a drug deductible, a plan type or a plan name.

Two carriers will not offer a Medicare Advantage plan in Ohio for 2027: Paramount Elite Medicare Plans and UnitedHealthcare Community Plan. One carrier is new to Ohio's Medicare Advantage market for 2027: American Health Advantage of Indiana. Medicare Advantage plans are sold county by county, so a plan counted statewide may or may not be offered where you live.

Three documents matter this fall. The Annual Notice of Change (ANOC) from your current plan arrives in September; it spells out what is different for 2027. If your plan is not returning, the plan sends a separate non-renewal letter. And if your plan leaves, you qualify for a Special Enrollment Period that runs through the end of February 2027 to choose a new Medicare Advantage plan or move back to Original Medicare with a stand-alone Part D plan.

Which Ohio counties are seeing the most Medicare Advantage change for 2027?

Northeast Ohio is the epicenter of change for 2027. The counties with the most plan movement are Cuyahoga (31 leaving, 31 changing), Summit (30 leaving, 32 changing), Medina (30 leaving, 31 changing), Portage (31 leaving, 30 changing) and Lorain (31 leaving, 28 changing).

If you live in one of those counties, assume your plan has changed in some way until you confirm otherwise. Open your ANOC, look at the drug deductible, the plan type (HMO vs. PPO), the plan name and the service area, then compare options on the Medicare Plan Finder at medicare.gov. The Plan Finder is the only place to see your actual costs, networks and drug coverage for a specific plan in your ZIP code.

How many stand-alone Part D plans are available in Ohio for 2027?

Ohio will have 9 stand-alone Medicare prescription drug plans in 2027, down from 10 in 2026, from 5 insurers, according to CMS Landscape files. Stand-alone Part D is the drug coverage people pair with Original Medicare (or with a Medicare Advantage plan that does not include drugs, such as some PPO or private fee-for-service plans).

Two national Part D rules change for 2027. The out-of-pocket cap on covered Part D drugs rises to $2,400 (it is $2,100 in 2026). The maximum deductible any Part D plan may charge is $700. Specific premiums, formularies and pharmacy networks vary by plan and should be checked on the Plan Finder.

How many Medigap insurers are listed for Ohio in 2027?

Medicare.gov lists 33 Medigap insurers for a ZIP code in Ohio. Medigap (also called Medicare Supplement Insurance) is sold only to people on Original Medicare and helps with out-of-pocket costs like coinsurance and deductibles. The lettered plans (A, B, G, N and so on) are standardized, meaning Plan G from one insurer covers the same things as Plan G from another; price and customer service are what differ.

Medigap has its own enrollment rules — including a one-time open enrollment window when you first get Part B — and medical underwriting may apply at other times. Those rules are explained at medicare.gov.

What national Medicare numbers are confirmed for 2027?

For 2027, the Part D out-of-pocket cap is $2,400, the maximum Part D deductible any plan may charge is $700, and the Part D base beneficiary premium is $41.33 (a national figure used to calculate the late-enrollment penalty; actual plan premiums are set plan by plan). On October 14, 2026, the Social Security Administration announced a 3.6 percent cost-of-living adjustment for benefits payable beginning January 2027.

The 2027 Part B standard premium and deductible have not been announced yet; CMS typically releases those in the fall, usually November. The 2027 IRMAA income-related brackets and surcharges, which affect higher-income beneficiaries, are published at the same time. Until CMS posts them, no reliable 2027 figure exists.

What should Ohio readers do before December 7, 2026?

Annual Enrollment 2027 runs October 15 through December 7, 2026, and the choice you make takes effect January 1, 2027. A short checklist:

• Read your Annual Notice of Change when it arrives in September.
• Watch for a non-renewal letter if your plan is among the 63 leaving Ohio.
• Make a list of your prescriptions, pharmacies and doctors.
• Run your list through the Medicare Plan Finder at medicare.gov to compare 2027 plans in your county.
• If you want Medigap, call insurers directly for a quote on the lettered plan you want.
• If your plan is leaving, remember the Special Enrollment Period runs through February 2027.

Where can Ohioans get free Medicare help for 2027?

Two free, non-commercial resources are open to everyone with Medicare in Ohio. The Medicare Plan Finder at medicare.gov shows every plan available in your ZIP code, with your drugs and pharmacies plugged in. And 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227) is staffed around the clock to answer plan, enrollment and billing questions.