Medicare Advantage

Before AEP Ends: What Boston Members Should Check

For 2027, Boston is looking at 50 Medicare Advantage plans: 12 new, 14 gone since 2026, and 24 still here but changed on premium, deductible, plan type or name, 3 of them under a new name. Below, how the lineup shifted in Suffolk County and what to compare, with no plan ranked or recommended.

BOSTON — As the Annual Enrollment Period runs from October 15 through December 7, some Boston-area Medicare Advantage members will find their current plan is not being offered in 2027. According to the CMS Medicare Advantage Landscape files for Suffolk County — which is where Boston sits for Medicare plan availability — 14 plans are leaving after 2026, 12 new plans are arriving for 2027, and 3 plans are being renamed.

If you are on one of the plans that is going away, you have options and a little extra time. Here is what is changing and what to do next.

What's happening in Suffolk County for 2027

Boston is in Suffolk County, where CMS lists 52 Medicare Advantage plans for 2026 from 11 carriers. Comparing the 2026 and 2027 Landscape files shows real churn:

• 14 plans leaving after 2026
• 12 plans new for 2027
• 3 plans renamed
• 21 continuing plans changing on premium, deductible, type or name
• 35 plans continuing without one of those changes

The full plan-by-plan table appears below on this page. The sections that follow walk through the moving pieces so you know where to look.

The 14 plans leaving after 2026

If you are enrolled in one of these, your carrier will send you a non-renewal notice. In alphabetical order by carrier, the plans not returning to Suffolk County in 2027 are:

• Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts: Medicare HMO Blue FlexRx (HMO-POS); Medicare HMO Blue ValueRx (HMO); Medicare PPO Blue ValueRx (PPO)
• Fallon Health: Fallon Medicare Plus Blue (HMO); Fallon Medicare Plus Green (HMO); Fallon Medicare Plus Orange (HMO)
• Humana: Humana Direct Choice Giveback (PPO); Humana USAA Honor Giveback (PPO); HumanaChoice H5216-249 (PPO)
• Mass General Brigham Health Plan: Mass General Brigham Advantage (PPO); Mass General Brigham Advantage Premier (PPO); Mass General Brigham Advantage Signature (PPO)
• Tufts Health Plan: Tufts Medicare Preferred HMO Smart Saver Rx (HMO); Tufts Medicare Preferred PPO RX (PPO)

A few of those names look familiar because a same-named plan is on the 2027 "new" list too — that usually reflects how CMS tracks contract or product IDs. Even so, treat it as a new plan: the coverage details are set fresh in the 2027 documents.

The 12 plans new for 2027

New for 2027 in Suffolk County, again in alphabetical order by carrier:

• Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts: Medicare HMO Blue FlexRx (HMO-POS); Medicare HMO Blue ValueRx (HMO); Medicare PPO Blue ValueRx (PPO)
• Fallon Health: Fallon Medicare Plus Blue (HMO); Fallon Medicare Plus Green (HMO); Fallon Medicare Plus Orange (HMO); NaviCare (HMO D-SNP)
• Mass General Brigham Health Plan: Mass General Brigham Advantage Core (HMO-POS); Mass General Brigham Advantage Plus (HMO-POS)
• Tufts Health Plan: Tufts Medicare Preferred HMO Smart Saver Rx (HMO); Tufts Medicare Preferred PPO RX (PPO)
• UnitedHealthcare: AARP Medicare Advantage Patriot No Rx MA-MA2 (HMO-POS)

The 3 renamed plans

A rename doesn't mean the plan disappeared — but it can be confusing on paper:

• NaviCare NHC (HMO D-SNP) was previously NaviCare (HMO D-SNP)
• UHC One Care MA-YL (HMO D-SNP) was previously UHC One Care MA-Y4 (HMO D-SNP)
• UHC Senior Care Options MA-YL (HMO D-SNP) was previously UHC Senior Care Options NHC MA-Y002 (HMO D-SNP)

If you see a new name on your mail, check whether it is one of these before assuming you're being moved.

What to do if your plan is leaving

1. Read your Annual Notice of Change (ANOC) and non-renewal letter. Carriers must send these in the fall. The ANOC lists the specific changes for continuing plans; the non-renewal letter tells you your plan is ending.

2. Use your Special Enrollment Period. When a Medicare Advantage plan is not renewed, CMS gives affected members a Special Enrollment Period that runs through the end of February. You can use it to pick a different Medicare Advantage plan or return to Original Medicare (and add a stand-alone Part D drug plan).

3. Or use the Annual Enrollment Period. From October 15 to December 7, anyone with Medicare can compare and switch. Coverage starts January 1.

4. Check your doctors and drugs first. Before you enroll in anything new, confirm your providers are in-network and your prescriptions are on the plan's formulary. Do this on the plan's own website or by calling the plan directly.

5. If a continuing plan is on the "changing" list, don't skip the ANOC. Twenty-one continuing plans in Suffolk County show a change on premium, deductible, type or name. The ANOC has the specifics — that is the document to read.

A few 2026 program facts worth knowing

These apply nationwide and are useful context as you compare drug coverage:

• Part D has a $2,100 out-of-pocket cap in 2026.
• The Part D maximum deductible is $615.
• The old "donut hole" coverage gap was eliminated in 2025; Part D now has three phases.
• The Medicare Prescription Payment Plan lets you spread drug costs across the year in monthly bills.
• IRMAA surcharges start above $109,000 in income for a single filer in 2026.