Medicare Advantage

UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage in Arkansas for 2027: 11 Plans, County by County

LITTLE ROCK — For the 2027 plan year, UnitedHealthcare is offering 11 Medicare Advantage plans across Arkansas, according to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Landscape Source Files. The lineup includes a mix of HMO-POS and PPO plans, several Special Needs Plans, and plans with and without prescription drug coverage. This article is published by an independent Medicare education site; it is not the government and not UnitedHealthcare.

How many UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage plans are offered in Arkansas for 2027?

UnitedHealthcare is offering 11 Medicare Advantage plans in Arkansas for 2027, per the CMS Landscape Source File. By plan type, that breaks down to 5 HMO-POS plans and 6 PPO plans.

Of the 11 plans, 10 include Part D prescription drug coverage and 1 is offered without drug coverage. Special Needs Plans account for 5 of the 11: 3 Dual Eligible Special Needs Plans (D-SNPs) designed for people who have both Medicare and Medicaid, and 2 Chronic Condition Special Needs Plans (C-SNPs) designed for people with qualifying conditions. UnitedHealthcare is not offering an Institutional Special Needs Plan (I-SNP) in Arkansas for 2027. For context, CMS lists 9 other Medicare Advantage carriers in the state, with all carriers together offering 84 plans for 2027.

Which UnitedHealthcare plans reach the most Arkansas counties in 2027?

Each of UnitedHealthcare's 11 Arkansas plans is listed in 74 counties for 2027, according to the CMS Landscape file. That means the statewide footprint is broad, but whether any specific plan is available at your address still depends on the county-by-county filings.

The full list on this page shows every plan by name and type, including the AARP Medicare Advantage HMO-POS and PPO plans (Essentials, Extras, Giveback, Patriot No Rx, and the AR-0002 and AR-0004 plans), the two UHC Complete Care C-SNPs (AR-5 and AR-6), and the three UHC Dual Complete / Dual Advantage D-SNPs (AR-V1, AR-Q1 and AR-S2). Rather than repeat the table in prose, use it alongside the Medicare Plan Finder to confirm what is offered in your ZIP code.

What UnitedHealthcare plans are new or not returning in Arkansas for 2027?

UnitedHealthcare has 0 brand-new Medicare Advantage plans in Arkansas for 2027, and 3 of its 2026 plans are not returning for 2027, according to the CMS year-over-year Landscape comparison.

Two of the D-SNPs on the 2027 list have also been renamed from their 2026 contract IDs: UHC Dual Advantage AR-V1 (PPO D-SNP) was previously UHC Dual Complete AR-V001 (PPO D-SNP), and UHC Dual Complete AR-Q1 (PPO D-SNP) was previously UHC Dual Complete AR-S001 (PPO D-SNP). A rename can look like a cancellation on paperwork even when the plan continues under a new name, so if you are currently enrolled, read any Annual Notice of Change (ANOC) you receive carefully and compare it to the 2027 Evidence of Coverage.

How do I check whether a UnitedHealthcare plan is offered in my Arkansas county for 2027?

The fastest way to confirm whether a specific UnitedHealthcare plan is offered in your Arkansas county for 2027 is to enter your ZIP code at medicare.gov and use the Plan Finder, or to call 1-800-MEDICARE (TTY 1-877-486-2048), which operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Even though UnitedHealthcare's 11 Arkansas plans are each listed in 74 counties, a plan listed statewide may not match every ZIP code within a county, and provider networks and drug formularies vary from plan to plan. Before you enroll, it is worth checking three things: that the plan is offered at your address, that your doctors and preferred hospitals are in the plan's network, and that your prescriptions are on the plan's formulary at a pharmacy you can reach. Those details come from the plan's Evidence of Coverage, its provider directory, and its drug list — all available through medicare.gov or by contacting the plan directly.

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

Before December 7, 2026, Arkansas Medicare beneficiaries should review any Annual Notice of Change from their current plan, compare their options for 2027 on medicare.gov, and confirm their doctors, hospitals and prescriptions are covered under whatever plan they choose. The Annual Enrollment Period for 2027 coverage runs October 15 through December 7, 2026, and the plan you pick takes effect January 1, 2027.

If you do nothing, most plans renew automatically — but the plan's cost sharing, formulary or network may change from 2026 to 2027. Reviewing the ANOC is how you catch those changes. If a plan is not returning for 2027, your current carrier will notify you, and you will have time inside the Annual Enrollment Period to pick a different plan.

Where can Arkansas residents get free help comparing Medicare Advantage plans for 2027?

Arkansas residents can get free, official help comparing Medicare Advantage plans for 2027 by calling 1-800-MEDICARE (TTY 1-877-486-2048) any time, day or night, or by using the Medicare Plan Finder at medicare.gov. Both are run by the federal Medicare program and can show every plan available at your address — not just one carrier's.

You can also contact a plan directly for its Evidence of Coverage, Summary of Benefits, provider directory and drug list. If you want to speak with a licensed agent, make sure they can show you plans from multiple carriers so the comparison is apples to apples.