Medicare Advantage

Does Tampa Need an HMO or PPO Plan for 2027?

Hillsborough County has 124 Medicare Advantage plans for 2027. Compared with 2026, 29 plans are not coming back, 20 are new, and 51 continuing plans changed in some way you should check before December 7, 19 of them under a new name. This guide covers what those numbers mean for Tampa, not which plan to pick.

TAMPA, Fla. — Fall 2026. As the Annual Enrollment Period opens Oct. 15 and runs through Dec. 7, 2026, Tampa shoppers comparing Medicare Advantage plans for 2027 coverage will see a lineup that leans heavily toward HMO designs — but with real PPO choices in the mix. According to the CMS Medicare Advantage Landscape Source File, Hillsborough County (where Tampa sits) will have 124 Medicare Advantage plans from 18 carriers for 2027, split by type into 80 HMO, 19 HMO-POS and 25 PPO plans. No PFFS (Private Fee-for-Service) plans appear in the county's 2027 landscape.

That split matters more than it sounds. The letters after a plan name — HMO, HMO-POS, PPO, PFFS — tell you how the plan handles doctors, referrals and care outside its network. Picking the right type for your life is often as important as picking the right carrier.

What the plan-type letters actually mean

Every Medicare Advantage plan is built on one of a few network structures. The structure is set by Medicare rules, not by the carrier's branding.

• HMO (Health Maintenance Organization). You pick a primary care doctor from the plan's network, and that doctor typically coordinates referrals to specialists. Care from doctors or hospitals outside the network is generally not covered except in emergencies or urgent care.
• HMO-POS (Point of Service). A standard HMO with a limited "point of service" option — the plan allows some out-of-network care for certain services, usually at a higher cost share. The specifics vary by plan.
• PPO (Preferred Provider Organization). You can see any Medicare-approved provider who accepts the plan. In-network care costs less; out-of-network care is still covered, usually at a higher share. Referrals to specialists are generally not required.
• PFFS (Private Fee-for-Service). A less common type where the plan sets the payment terms and any provider who accepts those terms can treat you. No PFFS plans are offered in Hillsborough County for 2027.

None of these is "better" on its own. The right type depends on which doctors you want to keep, whether you travel or spend part of the year elsewhere, and how much flexibility you want when you need a specialist.

How Tampa's 2027 lineup breaks down by type

In Hillsborough County, HMOs (including HMO-POS) make up 99 of the 124 Medicare Advantage plans for 2027 — about four out of five. PPOs account for the other 25. The table on this page lists every plan.

Here is which carriers offer each type for 2027, drawn from the CMS Landscape file.

Carriers offering HMO plans for 2027: Aetna (CVS Health), Align Senior Care, BayCare Health Plans, Centene (WellCare), Devoted Health, Doctors HealthCare Plans, Inc., Elevance Health (Anthem), Florida Blue HMO, Florida Complete Care, HealthSpring, Humana, Longevity Health Plan, SECUR Health Plan, Solis Health Plans, Ultimate Health Plans.

Carriers offering HMO-POS plans for 2027: Aetna (CVS Health), Centene (WellCare), Elevance Health (Anthem), Florida Complete Care, Gold Kidney Health Plan, UnitedHealthcare.

Carriers offering PPO plans for 2027: Aetna (CVS Health), Devoted Health, Florida Blue, Humana, UnitedHealthcare.

A few carriers — Aetna (CVS Health), for example — offer more than one type, so you can compare their HMO, HMO-POS or PPO products side by side.

How to match a plan type to how you actually get care

A short checklist can save a lot of second-guessing:

• Make a list of your doctors and the hospitals you'd want to use. Then check each plan's provider directory before you enroll. An HMO is only convenient if your doctors are in it.
• Think about specialists. If you see several, or expect to, consider whether the referral step in an HMO fits your routine or feels like a hurdle.
• Think about travel. Spending months with family out of state, or snowbirding part of the year, often argues for a PPO because out-of-network care is covered (at a higher share) rather than denied.
• Check the drug list. All 124 Hillsborough County plans for 2027 include Part D drug coverage, but formularies differ. Look up each of your medications in the plan's drug list on medicare.gov.
• If you qualify for a Special Needs Plan (SNP), either because you have Medicaid (D-SNP), a qualifying chronic condition (C-SNP), or you live in a long-term care setting (I-SNP), you'll see those plans flagged. SNPs follow the same HMO/PPO structure.

What's changing in Tampa for 2027

Year to year, Medicare Advantage lineups shift. For 2027 in Hillsborough County, 29 plans are not returning, 20 are new, and 19 have been renamed. That means a plan you had this year may not be sold next year, or may continue under a different name with different details.

If your current plan is renewing, you'll receive an Annual Notice of Change (ANOC) in late September 2026. It spells out what's different for 2027 — including any changes to network, drug list, premiums or cost sharing. Read it before Dec. 7.

If your plan is being discontinued, you'll get a non-renewal notice and typically a Special Enrollment Period to pick a new plan.

Dates and dollars to keep in mind

• Annual Enrollment Period: Oct. 15 – Dec. 7, 2026. Changes take effect Jan. 1, 2027.
• Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment: Jan. 1 – March 31, 2027. If you're already in an Advantage plan on Jan. 1 and it isn't the right fit, you get one chance to switch to another MA plan or return to Original Medicare.
• Part D out-of-pocket cap: $2,400 for 2027 (up from $2,100 in 2026).
• Part D maximum deductible: $700 for 2027 (up from $615 in 2026).
• 2027 Part B premium, deductible and IRMAA brackets: CMS typically announces these in the fall, usually November. Watch for the official release.

Nothing happens automatically if you take no action; your current plan simply renews for 2027 if it is still offered.