Medicare Advantage

Does your Mesa doctor take HMO, HMO-POS or PPO?

People in Mesa can choose from 92 Medicare Advantage plans for 2027, against 88 this year. 13 of this year’s plans are gone, 17 are new to Maricopa County, and 33 that continue have changed their premium, deductible, plan type or name, 13 of them under a new name.

MESA, Ariz. — As the Annual Enrollment Period for 2027 Medicare coverage opens on Oct. 15, 2026, shoppers in Mesa will see the same familiar menu of Medicare Advantage plan types — but the mix has shifted a little from this year. In Maricopa County, where Mesa sits, next year's lineup leans heavily toward HMO-style plans, with a smaller slate of PPOs and no local Private Fee-for-Service (PFFS) option. Knowing what each letter combination actually means for your doctors, referrals and out-of-network care matters more than any marketing tagline.

How the 2027 plans split by type in Maricopa County

Mesa is in Maricopa County, where Medicare sets plan availability. For 2027, CMS lists 92 Medicare Advantage plans from 16 carriers. By type, that breaks down as:

• HMO: 56 plans
• HMO-POS: 19 plans
• PPO: 17 plans
• PFFS: 0 plans

Put another way, 75 of the 92 plans (HMO plus HMO-POS) use an HMO-style structure, and 17 are PPOs. The full plan list is in the table below.

What each plan type actually means

The plan "type" is really a set of rules about which doctors you can see, whether you need a referral, and what happens if you go outside the network. These rules are set at the program level and apply the same way nationwide.

HMO (Health Maintenance Organization). You pick a primary care doctor and generally must use providers in the plan's network. Many HMOs require a referral to see a specialist. Out-of-network care is usually not covered except for emergencies, urgent care and dialysis when traveling.

HMO-POS (HMO with Point of Service). This is an HMO with a limited "point of service" option that lets you get some services out of network, typically at a higher cost-share. The specific services allowed vary by plan — check the plan's Evidence of Coverage.

PPO (Preferred Provider Organization). PPOs let you see any Medicare-approved provider, in or out of network, and usually do not require referrals. Out-of-network care is covered but almost always costs more than in-network care.

PFFS (Private Fee-for-Service). PFFS plans pay providers a set fee, and you can see any Medicare provider willing to accept the plan's terms. None are offered in Maricopa County for 2027.

Which carriers offer which types in 2027

Here is how the 2027 Maricopa County carriers break out by plan type, listed alphabetically. Many carriers offer more than one type.

Carriers offering HMO plans for 2027: Aetna (CVS Health), Alignment Health Plan, Banner Medicare Advantage, Blue Cross Blue Shield (HCSC), Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona, Centene (WellCare), Devoted Health, Elevance Health (Anthem), eternalHealth, Humana, Mercy Care Advantage, Molina Healthcare of Arizona, SCAN Health Plan, Verda Health Plan of Arizona.

Carriers offering HMO-POS plans for 2027: Elevance Health (Anthem), eternalHealth, Gold Kidney Health Plan, SCAN Health Plan, UnitedHealthcare.

Carriers offering PPO plans for 2027: Aetna (CVS Health), Blue Cross Blue Shield (HCSC), Devoted Health, Humana, UnitedHealthcare.

The table on this page lists every plan by name and type so you can see which product falls where.

Choosing between types: what to think about

There is no "better" plan type — only one that fits your situation better. A few questions can narrow things quickly:

• Who are your doctors? Call each one and ask which 2027 Medicare Advantage plans they accept. If your care team is tightly clustered in one health system, an HMO may line up well. If your doctors are spread across different groups, a PPO's flexibility may matter more.
• Do you travel or split time out of state? HMOs cover emergencies anywhere but usually not routine care out of network. PPOs cover out-of-network care, just at a higher cost-share.
• Do you prefer a coordinated referral path or direct specialist access? HMOs often require referrals; PPOs typically do not.
• Do you want some flexibility without a full PPO? HMO-POS plans sit in the middle, with a limited out-of-network option built in.

Specific networks, referral rules and out-of-network cost-shares differ by plan, so always confirm with the plan's directory and Evidence of Coverage before you enroll.

Dates and 2027 figures you can rely on

The Annual Enrollment Period runs Oct. 15 – Dec. 7, 2026, with any changes taking effect Jan. 1, 2027. If you do nothing, your current plan renews for 2027 — read the Annual Notice of Change that arrived in September for what is different.

A few confirmed program figures for 2027:

• Part D out-of-pocket cap: $2,400 in 2027 (up from $2,100 in 2026).
• Part D maximum deductible: $700 in 2027 (up from $615 in 2026).
• Part D national base beneficiary premium: $41.33 for 2027 (a formula input, not what any specific plan charges).

The 2027 Part B standard premium and deductible, and the 2027 IRMAA income brackets, had not been announced as of this writing; CMS typically publishes those later in the fall.