Medicare Advantage

HMO or PPO? Alabama Medicare Advantage for 2027: 59 HMO Plans, 54 PPO

MONTGOMERY, Ala. — Alabama Medicare shoppers opening the 2027 plan year will see a nearly even split between the two most familiar types of Medicare Advantage plans. According to the CMS Medicare Advantage Landscape Source File for CY2027, the state has 113 Medicare Advantage plans from 8 carriers. By plan type, that breaks down into 46 HMO plans, 13 HMO-POS plans, and 54 PPO plans. If you group HMO and HMO-POS together as the Health Maintenance Organization family, the count comes to 59 HMO-style plans versus 54 PPO plans statewide.

Those numbers are statewide totals. Medicare Advantage is sold county by county, so a plan listed in the state file may or may not be offered where you live. The counts below describe what exists on paper for Alabama in 2027; your personal menu depends on your ZIP code.

How does Alabama's 2027 Medicare Advantage lineup split between HMO and PPO?

For 2027, Alabama has 113 Medicare Advantage plans statewide, divided into 46 HMO, 13 HMO-POS, and 54 PPO plans, according to the CMS Landscape Source File. Counting the HMO and HMO-POS plans together, that's 59 HMO-family plans and 54 PPO plans.

The two categories are close enough that neither type dominates the state menu. Eight carriers participate in Alabama's 2027 Medicare Advantage market overall. The full plan-level list is rendered as a table on this page; the numbers in this article come from the statewide totals.

What do HMO, HMO-POS, PPO and PFFS mean for Alabama Medicare members in 2027?

In 2027, HMO, HMO-POS, PPO and PFFS describe how a Medicare Advantage plan handles networks, referrals and out-of-network care. The structure matters more than the acronym when you're matching a plan to your doctors.

• HMO (Health Maintenance Organization): You generally use the plan's network of doctors and hospitals, and you may need a referral from a primary care physician to see a specialist. Out-of-network care is typically covered only in emergencies.
• HMO-POS (Point of Service): An HMO that includes a limited "point of service" option, allowing some care outside the network under specific conditions set by the plan.
• PPO (Preferred Provider Organization): You can usually see both in-network and out-of-network providers who accept the plan, generally without a referral. Cost sharing is different inside and outside the network.
• PFFS (Private Fee-for-Service): A plan where the carrier sets the terms providers must accept to be paid. Alabama's 2027 Landscape file for the plan types listed in this brief does not feature PFFS among its HMO, HMO-POS and PPO counts.

Specific rules — referral requirements, out-of-network cost sharing, service areas — are set in each plan's Evidence of Coverage and provider directory.

Which carriers offer HMO, HMO-POS and PPO plans in Alabama for 2027?

For 2027 in Alabama, five carriers offer HMO plans, one carrier offers HMO-POS plans, and seven carriers offer PPO plans, per the CMS Landscape Source File. A single carrier can appear in more than one category.

• HMO plans (2027): Aetna (CVS Health), Devoted Health, HealthSpring, Humana, VIVA Medicare.
• HMO-POS plans (2027): UnitedHealthcare.
• PPO plans (2027): Aetna (CVS Health), Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama, Devoted Health, HealthSpring, Humana, Simpra Advantage, UnitedHealthcare.

The carrier name tells you who stands behind the contract; it does not tell you which plans are available in your county or what they cover. Those details sit in the plan tables on this page and in the Medicare Plan Finder.

How do I decide between HMO and PPO in Alabama for 2027 based on my doctors and travel?

In 2027, the practical choice between HMO and PPO in Alabama usually comes down to two questions: Are your current doctors in the plan's network, and how often do you need care outside Alabama?

A few things to check before you choose:

1. Make a list of your current doctors, specialists, hospitals, and pharmacies. 2. Check each plan's provider directory to confirm those providers are in-network for the specific plan you're considering. 3. Think about travel. If you spend part of the year outside Alabama or regularly visit family in another state, ask how the plan handles out-of-network and out-of-area care. 4. Review the referral rules. HMO plans often require a primary care referral to see a specialist; PPO plans typically do not. 5. Read the Evidence of Coverage for the plan year that will apply to you (the 2027 document for coverage starting January 1, 2027).

No plan type is better in the abstract. The right fit depends on your providers, your prescriptions, your budget, and how you use care.

What should Alabama Medicare shoppers do before December 7, 2026?

Before December 7, 2026, Alabama Medicare shoppers should confirm their 2027 options in their county and make any plan change they want to take effect on January 1, 2027. The Annual Enrollment Period runs October 15 through December 7, 2026.

Steps that help:

• Read the Annual Notice of Change your current plan mails in the fall; it describes what changes for 2027.
• Enter your ZIP code and prescriptions into the Medicare Plan Finder at medicare.gov to see your actual 2027 county menu.
• Compare the plans that include your doctors and medications, using each plan's own documents.
• Enroll by December 7, 2026 if you want a different plan on January 1, 2027.

Where can Alabama Medicare members get free help choosing a 2027 plan?

Alabama Medicare members can get free help from Medicare directly. The official Medicare Plan Finder at medicare.gov lets you compare every plan available in your county for 2027. 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227) is staffed 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and the call is free.

For plan-specific questions — which doctors are in-network, which drugs are on the formulary, how a benefit works — call the plan directly using the number on its materials or listed in the Plan Finder.