Medicare Advantage

Who sells Medicare Advantage in Pima County for 2026?

People in Tucson can choose from 76 Medicare Advantage plans for 2027, against 82 this year. 14 of this year's plans are gone, 20 are new to Pima County, and 20 that continue have changed something in their terms, 12 of them under a new name.

Medicare AdvantageTucson, AZ

Tucson shoppers heading into the fall Medicare season will see a familiar mix of names and plan styles for 2027 — with 15 insurance carriers offering Medicare Advantage plans across Pima County, and every plan type you are likely to have heard of, from HMOs to PPOs to Special Needs Plans. The choices are wide, but they are also structured in ways that matter once you sit down to compare them.

This piece walks through who is selling Medicare Advantage in the area, how many plans each carrier is offering, and what the plan-type letters actually mean. It is not a ranking, and it is not a recommendation — it is a map of the field, so you can compare plans on medicare.gov or with a licensed helper without getting lost in acronyms.

Who is selling Medicare Advantage in Pima County

Tucson is in Pima County, where CMS lists 15 carriers offering Medicare Advantage prescription drug plans for 2027. In alphabetical order, and with the plan counts each carrier has filed, they are:

• Aetna (CVS Health): 7 plans
• Alignment Health Plan: 5 plans
• Banner Medicare Advantage: 2 plans
• Blue Cross Blue Shield (HCSC): 6 plans
• Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona: 1 plan
• Centene (WellCare): 6 plans
• Devoted Health: 7 plans
• Elevance Health (Anthem): 10 plans
• eternalHealth: 4 plans
• Gold Kidney Health Plan: 3 plans
• Humana: 12 plans
• Mercy Care Advantage: 2 plans
• SCAN Health Plan: 6 plans
• UnitedHealthcare: 11 plans

The table below lists every plan by carrier, along with its type and whether it includes drug coverage. A larger plan count doesn't mean a carrier is better — it just means more plan variations to pick between. Some carriers focus on general HMO or PPO products; others build most of their lineup around Special Needs Plans.

HMO, HMO-POS and PPO: how the plan types differ

Most of what you'll see in Pima County comes in three shapes.

HMO (Health Maintenance Organization). You pick a primary care doctor from the plan's network and typically need referrals to see specialists. Out-of-network care is generally not covered except in emergencies. 42 of the county's 82 plans are HMOs.

HMO-POS (HMO with a Point-of-Service option). Same as an HMO, but with a limited ability to see certain out-of-network providers for specific services, usually at a higher cost share. Pima County has 20 HMO-POS plans.

PPO (Preferred Provider Organization). More flexibility to see out-of-network doctors, usually without a referral, though you'll typically pay more when you go outside the network. Pima County has 20 PPO plans, including some regional PPOs.

What about PFFS?

You may have read about PFFS (Private Fee-for-Service) plans. In a PFFS plan, the insurer sets the payment terms and providers decide, visit by visit, whether to accept them. For 2027, no PFFS plans are being offered in Pima County. If you specifically want that structure, you'll need to check plan availability elsewhere or consider a different plan type.

Special Needs Plans: who they are for

A Special Needs Plan (SNP) is a Medicare Advantage plan built for people who meet specific criteria. Of the 82 Pima County plans, 32 are SNPs. There are three kinds:

• D-SNP (Dual Eligible). For people who have both Medicare and Medicaid.
• C-SNP (Chronic Condition). For people with a qualifying chronic condition, such as diabetes, chronic heart failure, or end-stage renal disease. Each C-SNP names the conditions it serves.
• I-SNP (Institutional). For people who live in a nursing home or need a nursing-home level of care at home.

You cannot simply pick an SNP because the name sounds appealing — you have to qualify. If you do qualify, an SNP's benefits and drug list are shaped around that group's needs. Carriers with SNP offerings in the county include Alignment Health Plan, Banner Medicare Advantage, Blue Cross Blue Shield (HCSC), Centene (WellCare), Devoted Health, Elevance Health (Anthem), Gold Kidney Health Plan, Mercy Care Advantage, SCAN Health Plan and UnitedHealthcare, among the 14.

A few 2027 program facts worth knowing

These aren't specific to Tucson, but they shape every Medicare Advantage plan with drug coverage:

• The Part D out-of-pocket cap is $2,100 in 2026.
• The Part D maximum deductible is $615.
• The old "donut hole" coverage gap is gone — Part D has three phases now.
• The Medicare Prescription Payment Plan lets you spread your drug costs across the year in monthly installments if that helps your budget.
• IRMAA surcharges (higher Part B and Part D premiums for higher-income enrollees) begin above $109,000 for a single filer in 2026.

How to actually compare the choices

With 82 plans on the table, it helps to narrow before you compare. A few questions that cut the field quickly:

1. Do you want the flexibility of a PPO, or are you comfortable inside an HMO network? That single answer removes a large share of plans. 2. Do your current doctors and hospitals participate? Check with each provider's office — networks change year to year. 3. Are your prescriptions on the plan's formulary, and at what tier? The medicare.gov Plan Finder will show this once you enter your drug list. 4. Do you qualify for a Special Needs Plan? If you have Medicaid, a qualifying chronic condition, or live in a nursing facility, an SNP may fit your situation better than a general plan.