Medicare Advantage

Does your Orange County plan still fit for 2027?

People in Orlando can choose from 106 Medicare Advantage plans for 2027, against 123 this year. 33 of this year’s plans are gone, 16 are new to Orange County, and 46 that continue have changed their premium, deductible, plan type or name, 16 of them under a new name.

ORLANDO, Fla. — Fall 2026. The Medicare Annual Enrollment Period is open through Dec. 7, 2026, and any Medicare Advantage choice you make during that window takes effect Jan. 1, 2027. If you live in or near Orlando, that is the window to look at next year's lineup side by side — your doctors, your hospitals, your prescriptions, your pharmacy — and decide whether to stay put or switch.

Orlando sits in Orange County, where Medicare Advantage plan availability is set. For 2027, Orange County residents will have 106 Medicare Advantage plans from 16 carriers to choose from, according to the CMS Medicare Advantage Landscape Source File. This guide walks you through how to compare them without getting overwhelmed.

How many Medicare Advantage plans are offered in Orange County for 2027?

Orange County, Florida — where Orlando is located — has 106 Medicare Advantage plans from 16 carriers for 2027, per the CMS Landscape Source File. That is down from 123 plans offered in the county in 2026.

By plan type for 2027, the county's lineup includes 74 HMO plans, 11 HMO-POS plans, and 21 PPO plans. Every one of the 106 plans includes prescription drug coverage. There are 16 new plans for 2027 and 33 plans that are not returning. The full list of plans and carriers appears in the table on this page.

The 16 carriers offering Medicare Advantage in Orange County for 2027, in alphabetical order, are: Aetna (CVS Health), Align Senior Care, AmeriHealth Caritas VIP Care, Centene (WellCare), Devoted Health, Doctors HealthCare Plans, Elevance Health (Anthem), Florida Blue, Florida Blue HMO, Florida Complete Care, HealthSpring, Humana, Longevity Health Plan, Solis Health Plans, Ultimate Health Plans, and UnitedHealthcare.

What Special Needs Plans are available in Orange County for 2027?

Orange County will have 61 Special Needs Plans (SNPs) in 2027, broken down as 35 Dual Eligible SNPs (D-SNPs), 20 Chronic Condition SNPs (C-SNPs), and 6 Institutional SNPs (I-SNPs).

SNPs are a type of Medicare Advantage plan designed for people in specific situations. D-SNPs are for people who have both Medicare and Medicaid. C-SNPs are for people living with certain chronic conditions, such as diabetes, heart conditions, or COPD. I-SNPs are for people who live in (or need the level of care provided by) a nursing facility. You have to meet the plan's eligibility rules to join.

What is new in Orlando's Medicare Advantage lineup for 2027?

The biggest changes to the Orange County lineup for 2027 are 16 new plans entering the market, 33 plans not returning, and 16 plans being renamed. One carrier new to the county's roster is AmeriHealth Caritas VIP Care.

If your current plan is on the "not returning" list, you will receive a non-renewal notice from your plan by late September 2026, and you'll have a Special Enrollment Period to pick a new plan. If your plan is simply renamed, it is still the same plan — but the specifics may have changed, so read the Annual Notice of Change (ANOC) carefully. The ANOC lays out exactly what is different in your plan next year, side by side with this year.

How do I compare 2027 Medicare Advantage plans in Orlando, step by step?

The easiest way to compare plans is to work through five checks in the same order every time. Here is a plain sequence most Orlando-area readers can follow:

1. Read your Annual Notice of Change (ANOC). If you already have a Medicare Advantage or Part D plan, your plan mailed you an ANOC in late September. It shows what is changing for 2027 — the monthly premium, the deductible, copays, the drug list, and the network. Keep it next to you while you compare.

2. Check your doctors and hospitals. Each plan has a network. Make a list of the doctors and hospitals you actually use (primary care, specialists, your preferred hospital — AdventHealth, Orlando Health, Nemours, Nona, wherever you go). Look up each plan's provider directory on the carrier's site, or ask the office directly, "Will you be in-network for this plan in 2027?" Confirm it in writing when you can — directories can lag.

3. Check your prescriptions. Every Medicare Advantage plan sold in Orange County for 2027 includes drug coverage. But every plan has its own formulary (drug list) and its own tiers. Enter each of your medications — exact name, dose, and quantity — into the Medicare Plan Finder at medicare.gov/plan-compare. The tool will show the plan's estimated yearly drug cost for your specific list.

4. Check your pharmacy. Plans sort pharmacies into "preferred" and "standard" tiers, and the same prescription can cost different amounts depending on where you fill it. Tell the Plan Finder which pharmacy you use (your local CVS, Walgreens, Publix, Winn-Dixie, Costco, or a mail-order option) so the estimate matches what you'll actually pay.

5. Add up the total cost, not just the premium. A low or $0 premium is only one piece. Look at the plan's deductible, copays for primary care and specialists, hospital stay costs, the maximum out-of-pocket limit, and your expected drug costs for the year. The Plan Finder adds these up for you.

If a plan passes all five checks, it's worth a serious look. If it fails on step 2 or step 3 — your doctor isn't in-network or your medication isn't covered — move on.

What 2027 Medicare numbers should I know while I compare?

A few program-level 2027 figures are already set by CMS and will apply to every Part D plan nationwide:

• Part D out-of-pocket cap: $2,400 for 2027 (up from $2,100 in 2026). Once your out-of-pocket drug spending hits this number, you pay $0 for covered drugs the rest of the calendar year.
• Part D maximum deductible: $700 for 2027 (up from $615 in 2026). A plan can set a lower deductible, but not higher.
• The Medicare Prescription Payment Plan is still available — it lets you spread your drug costs over monthly payments instead of paying at the pharmacy counter.

The 2027 Part B standard premium and deductible and the 2027 IRMAA income brackets have not been announced yet. CMS typically releases those figures in the fall, usually in November. Watch medicare.gov for the official numbers; don't rely on projections.

What happens if I do nothing before Dec. 7?

If you do nothing, your current Medicare Advantage or Part D plan automatically renews for 2027 — as long as it is still offered in Orange County — with the changes listed in your ANOC. You stay in the same plan, just under its 2027 rules.

If your plan is not returning for 2027, you'll get a letter from the plan and a Special Enrollment Period to pick a new one. You will not be dropped from Medicare itself — only from that specific plan.

And if you enroll in a Medicare Advantage plan during AEP and change your mind, the Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period runs Jan. 1 – March 31, 2027. During that window, you can switch to a different Medicare Advantage plan one time, or go back to Original Medicare and add a standalone Part D plan.