Medicare Advantage

Every Medicare Advantage plan sold in Chicago for 2027, by carrier (full list)

For 2027, Chicago is looking at 67 Medicare Advantage plans: 6 new, 17 gone since 2026, and 30 still here but changed on premium, deductible, plan type or name, 9 of them under a new name. Below, how the lineup shifted in Cook County and what to compare, with no plan ranked or recommended.

Medicare AdvantageChicago, IL

Chicago shoppers looking at Medicare Advantage for 2027 have a menu to sort through. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) lists 58 Medicare Advantage plans available in Cook County — which includes Chicago — from 11 different carriers, according to the CMS Medicare Advantage Landscape Source File for plan year 2027.

This article walks through who is selling coverage, what plan types they offer, and where drug coverage fits in. The table below lists every plan, carrier by carrier, in alphabetical order.

What's on offer in Cook County

Because Medicare Advantage availability is set at the county level, the Chicago lineup is really the Cook County lineup. For 2027, that is 58 plans from these 11 carriers, listed alphabetically:

• Aetna (CVS Health): 9 plans (HMO, HMO-POS, PPO; 3 Special Needs)
• Blue Cross Blue Shield (HCSC): 11 plans (HMO, HMO-POS, PPO)
• Centene (WellCare): 8 plans (HMO, HMO-POS; 1 Special Needs)
• Clear Spring Health: 3 plans (HMO; 1 Special Needs)
• Devoted Health: 6 plans (HMO, PPO; 2 Special Needs)
• Essence Healthcare: 4 plans (HMO, PPO)
• Humana: 16 plans (HMO, PFFS, PPO; 2 Special Needs)
• Longevity Health: 1 plan (HMO; 1 Special Needs)
• Molina Healthcare of Illinois: 2 plans (HMO; 1 Special Needs)
• Provider Partners Health Plans: 1 plan (HMO; 1 Special Needs)
• UnitedHealthcare: 10 plans (HMO-POS, PPO; 3 Special Needs)
• Zing Health: 7 plans (HMO; 5 Special Needs)

Every plan on this list includes Part D drug coverage, so there is no need to pair one with a stand-alone drug plan. In fact, CMS shows zero stand-alone Part D plans marketed alongside these MA plans in Cook County — someone who wanted drug coverage without Medicare Advantage would look at stand-alone plans available separately for Original Medicare enrollees.

Understanding the plan types

The 78 plans in Cook County fall into four categories:

• HMO (36 plans): You generally pick an in-network primary care doctor and get referrals to see specialists in the plan's network.
• HMO-POS (12 plans): Like an HMO, but with a "point of service" option that allows some out-of-network care, usually at a higher cost.
• PPO (29 plans): You can see providers outside the network, though staying in-network usually costs less.
• PFFS (1 plan): Private Fee-For-Service plans set their own payment terms with providers who agree to accept them.

Twenty of the 78 plans are Special Needs Plans (SNPs), which are built for specific groups — for example, people with certain chronic conditions (C-SNP), people who qualify for both Medicare and Medicaid (D-SNP), or people living in a nursing facility (I-SNP). You have to meet the eligibility rules to enroll in an SNP.

How to read the full plan table

Rather than repeat every plan name in prose, the full roster is listed in the table on this page. A few things to notice as you scan it:

• Larger carriers in the county — such as Humana with 16 plans and Blue Cross Blue Shield (HCSC) with 11 — offer a mix of HMO, PPO and HMO-POS options.
• Some carriers focus on specialized coverage. Zing Health, for instance, offers 7 plans, 5 of which are SNPs, and Provider Partners Health Plans and Longevity Health each offer a single SNP.
• Names like Aetna Medicare Signature, Blue Cross Medicare Advantage Choice Plus, HealthSpring Preferred, Wellcare Simple, DEVOTED CHOICE, Humana Gold Plus, AARP Medicare Advantage from UHC and Zing Choice IL appear in different type variations — the letters in parentheses (HMO, PPO, HMO-POS, etc.) tell you which type each one is.

CMS does not publish a Chicago-only roster. This is what is available county-wide, and any given plan may have provider networks that stretch beyond Cook County lines.

What the roster does not tell you

Availability tells you a plan can be purchased. It does not tell you what it will cost you, which doctors are in-network, whether your prescriptions are on the formulary, or what extra benefits (dental, vision, hearing, transportation) are included. Those details vary plan by plan and change year to year.

For 2027, a few program-wide facts apply no matter which plan you choose:

• The Part D out-of-pocket cap is $2,100 for the year.
• The Part D maximum deductible is $615.
• The old coverage gap ("donut hole") is gone as of 2025; Part D now has three phases.
• Anyone with Part D can opt into the Medicare Prescription Payment Plan, which spreads drug costs into monthly installments instead of paying at the pharmacy counter.
• IRMAA surcharges start above $109,000 in income for a single filer in 2026.

Star Ratings, published by CMS, are another tool consumers use to compare plans. CMS data shows zero contracts rated 4 stars or higher in this area for 2027, so ratings will not narrow the field here the way they might elsewhere — plan documents and the Plan Finder will do more of that work.

Dates to keep in mind

• October 15 – December 7: Medicare Annual Enrollment Period. You can join, switch or drop a Medicare Advantage or Part D plan; coverage starts January 1.
• January 1 – March 31: Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period. If you are already in a Medicare Advantage plan, you can switch to another one or return to Original Medicare (and add a stand-alone Part D plan) once during this window.

If you miss both windows, you generally have to wait until the next Annual Enrollment Period unless you qualify for a Special Enrollment Period.

Where to get personalized help

The county has more than 800,000 residents age 65 and older, and no two situations are the same. For personal help:

• medicare.gov — Use the Plan Finder to compare 2027 plans by your medications, pharmacies and doctors.
• 1-800-MEDICARE — 24/7 help from Medicare itself.
• Illinois SHIP (Senior Health Insurance Program) — Free, unbiased counseling from trained volunteers.