Medicare Advantage

What's changing for Medicare Advantage in St. Petersburg for 2027, plan by plan

Pinellas County has 101 Medicare Advantage plans for 2027. Compared with 2026, 29 plans are not coming back, 18 are new, and 30 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.

Medicare AdvantageSt. Petersburg, FL

ST. PETERSBURG — If you're on a Medicare Advantage plan here, this fall's mail is worth opening carefully. The federal government's 2027 plan filings for Pinellas County — which is where St. Petersburg sets its Medicare Advantage lineup — show 29 plans leaving after 2026, 18 brand-new plans coming in, and 17 that are keeping the same core plan but changing their name. Another 30 continuing plans have at least one change to premium, deductible, plan type or name that members will see spelled out in their Annual Notice of Change (ANOC).

That's a lot of movement in one county, and it lands right as the Annual Enrollment Period (Oct. 15 – Dec. 7) opens. Here's what the changes look like, and what to do if your plan is one of them.

What "leaving," "new" and "renamed" actually mean

A plan that is leaving after 2026 will not be sold in Pinellas County for the 2027 plan year. If you're enrolled in one of these, you cannot simply keep it — you'll need to choose a new plan or move back to Original Medicare.

A new plan is one the carrier is offering in the county for the first time in 2027. It may be a brand-new product or an expansion of an existing plan into this market.

A renamed plan is essentially the same plan with a new label. You don't have to do anything to stay on it, but the name on your card and paperwork will change — which can feel confusing when you're comparing options side by side.

The table on this page lists every 2026 plan sold in Pinellas County. Use it to check the exact name of what you have now.

Plans not returning after 2026

Twenty-nine plans are on the exit list. Grouped by carrier, they include:

• Aetna (CVS Health): Aetna Medicare Dual Select (HMO D-SNP); Aetna Medicare Signature (PPO)
• Align Senior Care: Premier Care (HMO I-SNP); Senior Care (HMO I-SNP)
• American Health Advantage of Florida: its single plan, American Health Advantage of Florida (HMO I-SNP) — the carrier is leaving the county entirely
• BayCare Health Plans: BayCarePlus Premier (HMO)
• Centene (WellCare): Wellcare Dual Access Sync (HMO D-SNP); Wellcare Patriot Giveback (HMO); Wellcare Sunshine Health Dual Align (HMO D-SNP)
• Elevance Health (Anthem): Freedom Medi-Medi Full (HMO D-SNP); Optimum Emerald Full (HMO D-SNP); Simply Complete (HMO D-SNP); Simply Extra Platinum (HMO); Simply Integrated (HMO D-SNP); Simply Level (HMO C-SNP); Simply Level Platinum (HMO C-SNP); Simply More (HMO)
• Florida Complete Care: Florida Complete Care-Duals VIP (HMO-POS D-SNP)
• Humana: CareNeeds Extra (HMO D-SNP); two Humana Direct Choice Giveback (PPO) plans; Humana Full Access Giveback H5216-393 (PPO); Humana Full Access Giveback H7617-111 (PPO); Humana USAA Honor Giveback (PPO); HumanaChoice Florida H5216-304 (PPO); HumanaChoice Florida H7617-109 (PPO)
• Solis Health Plans: Solis Wellness Plan (HMO C-SNP)
• Ultimate Health Plans: Advantage Care COPD by Ultimate (HMO C-SNP)
• UnitedHealthcare: UHC Dual Complete FL-Y5 (HMO-POS D-SNP)

Note: a few names, like Premier Care, Senior Care, Solis Wellness Plan, Advantage Care COPD by Ultimate and UHC Dual Complete FL-Y5, appear on both the leaving and the new list — CMS is treating them as filed anew, not simply renewed. Your ANOC will explain what that means for you.

Plans new for 2027

Eighteen plans are new to Pinellas County for 2027, spread across carriers including Aetna (CVS Health), Align Senior Care, Centene (WellCare), Devoted Health, Florida Blue, Florida Blue HMO, Florida Complete Care, Gold Kidney Health Plan, Humana, SECUR Health Plan, Solis Health Plans, Ultimate Health Plans and UnitedHealthcare. Highlights on the list include BlueMedicare Patriot Plus (PPO), BlueMedicare Premier Plus (HMO), DEVOTED GIVEBACK EXTRAS 115 FL (HMO), Humana Essentials Plus Giveback (PPO), SECUR CarePath (HMO C-SNP) and AARP Medicare Advantage Giveback from UHC FL-40 (HMO-POS).

Being new doesn't make a plan better or worse — it just means it's available for the first time. Compare it the same way you'd compare any other option.

Renamed plans: same coverage, new label

Seventeen plans are being renamed. A few examples: Aetna Medicare Dual Select (HMO D-SNP) is becoming Aetna Medicare QMB Only Select (HMO D-SNP); DEVOTED PREMIUM 037 FL (HMO) is becoming DEVOTED CORE 037 FL (HMO); CareOne Plus is switching from HMO to HMO-POS with a new plan type reflected in the name; several Humana Gold Plus SNP-DE and HumanaChoice Florida SNP-DE plans are being rebranded as Humana Dual Select; and several UHC Dual Complete FL-D plans are being renumbered to FL-Q or FL-Y codes.

If your plan is only being renamed, you'll typically stay enrolled automatically — but read your ANOC to be sure, because a plan can be renamed AND have other changes at the same time.

What to do if your plan is leaving

If your Medicare Advantage plan will not be offered in 2027, Medicare gives you a Special Enrollment Period because of the non-renewal. It runs from Dec. 8, 2026 through the end of February 2027. During that window you can:

• Join a different Medicare Advantage plan (with or without drug coverage), or
• Return to Original Medicare and add a stand-alone Part D drug plan.

You do not have to wait for that SEP — you can also make your switch during the Annual Enrollment Period (Oct. 15 – Dec. 7) so your new coverage starts Jan. 1 with no gap. That's usually the smoother path.

If you're already in an Advantage plan and change your mind after Jan. 1, the Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period (Jan. 1 – March 31) gives you one more chance to switch plans or drop back to Original Medicare.

A few program facts worth knowing

These apply everywhere, not just Pinellas County:

• The Part D out-of-pocket cap is $2,100 in 2026.
• The maximum Part D deductible is $615 in 2026 ($700 in 2027).
• The old "donut hole" is gone — Part D has had three phases since 2025.
• The Medicare Prescription Payment Plan lets you spread drug costs across the year in monthly installments instead of paying at the pharmacy counter.
• IRMAA income-related surcharges start above $109,000 for a single filer in 2026.

How to compare your options

Three practical steps:

1. Read your ANOC. It arrives by late September and spells out exactly what's changing on your plan for 2027. 2. Check the Plan Finder at medicare.gov. Enter your ZIP code, your prescriptions and your preferred doctors and pharmacies. It