Medicare 2026

Medicare in Tennessee for 2027: 25 Advantage Plans Leaving, 48 New, and What Else Changes

NASHVILLE — Medicare in Tennessee looks different for 2027. Across the state's 95 counties, 155 Medicare Advantage plans will be offered, up from 132 in 2026. Along the way, 25 plans are not returning anywhere in the state, 48 are brand new, and 35 are changing in some way — a different premium, drug deductible, plan type or plan name. Wellcare will not offer a Medicare Advantage plan in Tennessee for 2027. The window to review and switch runs October 15 through December 7, 2026, with any new choice taking effect January 1, 2027.

Medicare 2026Tennessee

What is changing with Medicare Advantage plans in Tennessee for 2027?

Tennessee will have 155 Medicare Advantage plans available across its 95 counties in 2027, compared with 132 in 2026. Of those, 48 are new, 35 are changing (a different premium, drug deductible, plan type or plan name), and 25 are not returning anywhere in the state. Wellcare will not offer a Medicare Advantage plan in Tennessee for 2027.

Because Medicare Advantage is sold county by county, a statewide count is not the same as what is available at any one address. Two documents in the mail do the heavy lifting here. If a current plan is continuing, the insurer sends an Annual Notice of Change (ANOC) by late September describing what is different for January. If a plan is going away, the insurer sends a non-renewal letter. A member whose plan is not returning qualifies 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. For everyone else, the Annual Enrollment Period (October 15 – December 7, 2026) is the window to compare and switch.

Which Tennessee counties have the most Medicare Advantage change for 2027?

The biggest shifts show up in and around the state's largest metros. In Davidson County, 14 plans are leaving and 21 are changing. In Shelby County, 11 are leaving and 23 are changing. In Williamson County, 13 are leaving and 21 are changing. In Wilson County, 12 are leaving and 21 are changing. In Sumner County, 12 are leaving and 20 are changing.

"Changing" does not necessarily mean worse or better — just different. A plan can keep its name but shift its drug deductible, its plan type (HMO vs. PPO), or its monthly premium. The practical move is the same in each county: read the ANOC that arrives in the mail, then check the Medicare Plan Finder at medicare.gov to confirm doctors, hospitals and prescriptions are still covered the way they were.

How many stand-alone Part D drug plans will Tennessee have in 2027?

Tennessee will have 11 stand-alone Medicare Part D prescription drug plans in 2027, offered by 6 insurers. That is one fewer plan than the 12 available in 2026.

Stand-alone Part D is used mostly by people who stay with Original Medicare and want drug coverage, or by people in a Medigap policy. Nationally, the maximum any Part D plan may charge as a deductible in 2027 is $700, and the new annual out-of-pocket cap on covered drugs is $2,400 (up from $2,100 in 2026). Specific plan premiums, formularies and pharmacy networks vary and should be checked on the Plan Finder before enrolling.

How many Medigap insurers are listed for Tennessee on Medicare.gov?

Medicare.gov lists 30 Medigap (Medicare Supplement) insurers for a Tennessee ZIP code. Medigap works alongside Original Medicare to help pay deductibles, copays and coinsurance; it does not include drug coverage, which is why many Medigap enrollees also buy a stand-alone Part D plan.

Medigap pricing and the rules about switching between Medigap policies after the initial open enrollment window are set separately from Medicare Advantage. The Medicare.gov Medigap tool is the place to compare the standardized plan letters (Plan G, Plan N and the others) available at a specific ZIP code.

What are the national Medicare numbers for 2027, and what did Social Security announce?

For 2027, the Part D out-of-pocket cap is $2,400 (up from $2,100 in 2026), the maximum allowed Part D deductible is $700, and the Part D base beneficiary premium — a national figure used to calculate the late-enrollment penalty — is $41.33. Actual Part D plan premiums are set plan by plan.

The Social Security Administration announced on October 14, 2026 a 3.6 percent cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) for benefits payable beginning January 2027. The 2027 Part B standard premium and deductible have not been announced yet; CMS typically releases them in the fall, usually November. The 2027 IRMAA income brackets and surcharges are published alongside those Part B figures and are also not yet available.

What should Tennessee Medicare beneficiaries do before December 7, 2026?

Use the weeks between October 15 and December 7, 2026 to do a short, specific review. New choices made in that window take effect January 1, 2027.

• Open the ANOC or non-renewal letter from the current plan and note any change for 2027.
• On medicare.gov, run the Plan Finder with the current list of prescriptions and preferred pharmacy.
• Confirm that primary care, specialists and preferred hospitals are in-network for any Medicare Advantage plan under consideration.
• If a current Medicare Advantage plan is not returning, remember that the Special Enrollment Period extends into February 2027.
• If staying with Original Medicare, review the 11 stand-alone Part D plans available in Tennessee for 2027.

Where can Tennesseans get free Medicare help?

Free, unbiased help is available directly from Medicare. Call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227), open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, or use the Plan Finder and account tools at medicare.gov. Both can confirm what is offered at a specific Tennessee address and answer questions about enrollment windows.