Medicare Advantage

Does HMO, PPO or SNP fit your St. Petersburg life?

Pinellas County has 118 Medicare Advantage plans for 2027. Compared with 2026, 29 plans are not coming back, 18 are new, and 47 continuing plans changed in some way you should check before December 7, 17 of them under a new name. This guide covers what those numbers mean for St. Petersburg, not which plan to pick.

If you live in St. Petersburg and you're weighing a Medicare Advantage plan for 2027, the first thing to know isn't a number — it's a map of who sells what, and how the plan types differ. St. Petersburg sits in Pinellas County, where CMS lists 101 Medicare Advantage plans from 17 carriers for 2027. That's a lot to sort through, but once you understand the categories, the choices get easier to compare.

This article walks through the carriers offering plans in the county, how many each one offers, and what the letters after the plan names — HMO, HMO-POS, PPO, PFFS, D-SNP, C-SNP, I-SNP — actually mean for you. The full plan-by-plan table appears further down the page.

Which carriers offer Medicare Advantage plans in Pinellas County

CMS lists 17 carriers selling Medicare Advantage in the county for 2027. In alphabetical order, and with the number of plans each offers:

• Aetna (CVS Health): 10 plans (HMO, HMO-POS, PPO; 4 SNPs)
• Align Senior Care: 2 plans (HMO; 2 SNPs)
• American Health Advantage of Florida: 1 plan (HMO; 1 SNP)
• BayCare Health Plans: 3 plans (HMO)
• Blue Cross Blue Shield (HCSC): 3 plans (HMO; 2 SNPs)
• Centene (WellCare): 6 plans (HMO; 3 SNPs)
• Devoted Health: 10 plans (HMO, PPO; 5 SNPs)
• Elevance Health (Anthem): 22 plans (HMO; 16 SNPs)
• Florida Blue: 3 plans (PPO)
• Florida Blue HMO: 1 plan (HMO)
• Florida Complete Care: 3 plans (HMO, HMO-POS; 3 SNPs)
• Gold Kidney Health Plan: 4 plans (HMO-POS; 4 SNPs)
• Humana: 34 plans (HMO, PPO; 14 SNPs)
• Longevity Health Plan: 1 plan (HMO; 1 SNP)
• SECUR Health Plan: 3 plans (HMO; 3 SNPs)
• Solis Health Plans: 4 plans (HMO; 3 SNPs)
• Ultimate Health Plans: 5 plans (HMO; 4 SNPs)
• UnitedHealthcare: 14 plans (HMO-POS, PPO; 7 SNPs)

Bigger counts don't mean better plans. Some carriers offer many plans because they include several Special Needs Plans aimed at narrow groups. The table below lists every plan by name.

HMO vs. HMO-POS vs. PPO: what the labels mean

Most of the choices in Pinellas County fall into one of three shapes.

HMO (Health Maintenance Organization). You pick a primary care doctor, use the plan's network, and usually need a referral to see a specialist. Out-of-network care is generally not covered except in emergencies. Of the 129 plans in the county, 86 are HMOs — the most common structure locally.

HMO-POS (HMO with a Point-of-Service option). A twist on the HMO: it lets you get some services outside the network, usually at a higher cost. Thirteen plans in the county are HMO-POS.

PPO (Preferred Provider Organization). You can see any provider who accepts Medicare and the plan's terms, in or out of network, without a referral. Out-of-network care typically costs more. Thirty plans in Pinellas County are PPOs.

PFFS (Private Fee-for-Service). These plans set their own payment terms with providers, who choose whether to accept them visit by visit. CMS does not list any PFFS plans in Pinellas County for 2027, but you may see the term when reading general Medicare materials.

Special Needs Plans: who they're for

Seventy-two of the 129 plans in the county are Special Needs Plans (SNPs). SNPs are restricted to people who meet specific criteria, and they tailor benefits, provider networks and drug lists to that group. There are three kinds:

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

You can't just pick an SNP because it sounds appealing — you have to qualify. If you don't qualify, the same carrier likely offers a general HMO or PPO instead.

How to narrow it down

With 129 choices, most people find it easier to filter before they compare. A reasonable order:

1. Start with plan type. Do you want the freedom of a PPO, or are you comfortable with an HMO network in exchange for a tighter structure? 2. Check whether an SNP applies to you. If you have Medicaid, a qualifying chronic condition, or live in a facility, an SNP may fit your situation better than a general plan. 3. Confirm your doctors and prescriptions. Every Medicare Advantage plan in Pinellas County includes drug coverage, but formularies and networks differ. Use the Plan Finder at medicare.gov to check each plan against your doctors and drug list. 4. Understand the Part D rules. The out-of-pocket cap for prescription drugs is $2,100 in 2026 and $2,400 in 2027. The maximum Part D deductible is $615 in 2026 and $700 in 2027. The old coverage-gap "donut hole" phase is gone. Optional monthly smoothing through the Medicare Prescription Payment Plan is available if drug costs hit hard early in the year.

Enrollment windows to keep in mind

• Annual Enrollment Period: Oct. 15 – Dec. 7. This is when most people join, switch or drop a Medicare Advantage or Part D plan for the coming year.
• Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period: Jan. 1 – March 31. If you're already in a Medicare Advantage plan, you get one chance during this window to switch to another MA plan or return to Original Medicare.
• Special Enrollment Periods may apply if you move, lose other coverage, or qualify for an SNP.