Medicare Advantage

Choosing between HMO, HMO-POS and PPO in Port St. Lucie for 2027

For 2027, Port St. Lucie is looking at 81 Medicare Advantage plans: 16 new, 26 gone since 2026, and 39 still here but changed on premium, deductible, plan type or name, 15 of them under a new name. Below, how the lineup shifted in St. Lucie County and what to compare, with no plan ranked or recommended.

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. — As the Annual Enrollment Period opens Oct. 15, 2026, St. Lucie County residents comparing Medicare Advantage coverage for 2027 will see the lineup lean heavily toward HMO-style plans, with PPOs making up a smaller but meaningful share. The split matters, because the plan "type" sets the rules on which doctors you can see, when you need a referral, and whether out-of-network care is covered at all.

Port St. Lucie is in St. Lucie County, where CMS lists 81 Medicare Advantage plans from 12 carriers for 2027. By type, that breaks down to 44 HMO plans, 13 HMO-POS plans and 24 PPO plans. No private fee-for-service (PFFS) plans are offered in the county for 2027.

How do Medicare Advantage plans in St. Lucie County split by type for 2027?

For 2027, St. Lucie County has 81 Medicare Advantage plans from 12 carriers, divided into 44 HMO, 13 HMO-POS and 24 PPO plans. Counting HMO and HMO-POS together, 57 of the 81 plans use some form of HMO structure.

There are no PFFS (private fee-for-service) plans offered in the county for 2027. The full lineup — every plan by carrier — is in the table below.

What does HMO mean for networks and referrals?

An HMO (Health Maintenance Organization) plan generally covers care only when you use doctors, hospitals and other providers inside the plan's network. Many HMOs also ask you to pick a primary care doctor and get a referral before you see a specialist. Out-of-network care is usually not covered except in an emergency or for urgent care.

In St. Lucie County for 2027, the carriers offering HMO plans are Aetna (CVS Health), Centene (WellCare), Devoted Health, Elevance Health (Anthem), Florida Blue HMO, Florida Complete Care, Humana, Longevity Health Plan and Ultimate Health Plans.

How is HMO-POS different from a regular HMO?

HMO-POS stands for "HMO with a Point-of-Service option." It works like an HMO most of the time — you stick with the network for routine care — but it also lets you get certain services out-of-network, usually at a higher cost share. Each plan sets its own rules for what the POS option covers, so the Evidence of Coverage is where the details live.

For 2027, the carriers offering HMO-POS plans in St. Lucie County are Centene (WellCare), Florida Complete Care, Gold Kidney Health Plan and UnitedHealthcare.

What does a PPO give you that an HMO does not?

A PPO (Preferred Provider Organization) plan covers both in-network and out-of-network care, though you typically pay more when you go outside the network. PPOs usually do not require referrals to see a specialist. That flexibility is often why people who travel, split time between states, or already see doctors outside a single system look at PPOs.

In St. Lucie County for 2027, the carriers offering PPO plans are Aetna (CVS Health), Devoted Health, Florida Blue, Humana and UnitedHealthcare. Some PPOs are "local" and some are "regional"; both appear in the county roster.

What about PFFS plans in Port St. Lucie?

For 2027, no PFFS (private fee-for-service) plans are offered in St. Lucie County. PFFS plans are a Medicare Advantage type where the plan — not Medicare — decides how much it will pay providers and how much you pay. Any provider who accepts the plan's terms can treat you, but providers are not required to accept them. Since none are offered locally for 2027, it is not a choice Port St. Lucie residents need to weigh this year.

How should I think about plan type when I compare for 2027?

Start with your doctors. Check whether the specialists and hospital you already use are in each plan's network, since the "type" label does not tell you that on its own. Then think about travel: if you spend part of the year outside Florida, a PPO's out-of-network coverage may matter more than it would for someone who stays local. Finally, think about referrals — if having to go through a primary care doctor for every specialist visit sounds frustrating, that is an HMO trait to weigh.

Plan type does not, by itself, tell you what something costs. Premiums, deductibles, copays and extra benefits vary plan by plan, and two HMOs from the same carrier can look very different. The Medicare Plan Finder at medicare.gov is the tool built to compare them side by side.

When do I need to decide for 2027 coverage?

The Annual Enrollment Period runs Oct. 15 – Dec. 7, 2026. Any change you make in that window takes effect Jan. 1, 2027. If you do nothing, your current plan renews for 2027 if it is still offered, with whatever changes are listed in your Annual Notice of Change (ANOC) — which your plan mails in the fall. For 2027 in St. Lucie County, 26 plans are not returning, 16 are new and 15 have been renamed, so the ANOC is worth reading closely this year.

If you are already in a Medicare Advantage plan on Jan. 1, there is also a Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period from Jan. 1 – March 31, 2027, when you can switch to another Advantage plan or go back to Original Medicare once.