Medicare Advantage

Before you pick a Medicare Advantage plan in Grand Rapids: how the carriers and plan types differ in 2026

For 2027, Grand Rapids is looking at 79 Medicare Advantage plans: 20 new, 11 gone since 2026, and 33 still here but changed on premium, deductible, plan type or name, 10 of them under a new name. Below, how the lineup shifted in Kent County and what to compare, with no plan ranked or recommended.

Medicare AdvantageGrand Rapids, MI

GRAND RAPIDS — If you're shopping for a Medicare Advantage plan here for 2027, the first thing worth knowing isn't a number — it's a vocabulary lesson. The choices in and around the city come in a few different shapes (HMO, HMO-POS, PPO, PFFS and Special Needs Plans), and they come from more than a dozen different insurers. Sorting out which type fits your life often matters more than the brand on the card.

Grand Rapids is in Kent County, where CMS lists 79 Medicare Advantage plans for 2027 from 15 carriers. This article walks through who those carriers are and what the plan-type labels actually mean, so the full plan table below is easier to read.

Who sells Medicare Advantage in Kent County

Fifteen carriers offer Medicare Advantage plans in Kent County for 2027. In alphabetical order, they are: Aetna (CVS Health), Align Senior Care, Blue Care Network, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, Centene (WellCare), Devoted Health, Health Alliance Plan by Henry Ford Health, Humana, Longevity Health Plan, McLaren Medicare, Molina Healthcare of Michigan, Priority Health Medicare, Trinity Health Plan of Michigan, UnitedHealthcare, and Zing Health. Devoted Health and Zing Health are new to the county for 2027.

Some are national names; several are Michigan-based. A few, like Longevity Health Plan and Molina Healthcare of Michigan, offer a single plan aimed at a specific group of members. Others, like Humana and Priority Health Medicare, offer a wider mix. The table below lists every plan by carrier so you can see the full lineup.

One quick note: Kent County has 0 stand-alone Part D drug plans listed for 2027 in this data set. All 79 Medicare Advantage plans in the county include drug coverage.

HMO vs. HMO-POS: staying in network, mostly

An HMO (Health Maintenance Organization) asks you to use the plan's network of doctors and hospitals, and usually to pick a primary care doctor who coordinates referrals. Out-of-network care is generally not covered except in an emergency.

An HMO-POS (Point of Service) is an HMO with a small door propped open. It lets you go outside the network for certain services, usually at a higher cost. In Kent County, Blue Care Network's plans are HMO-POS, and several Priority Health Medicare and Wellcare plans use this structure too.

If you already have doctors you like and they're all in one health system, an HMO or HMO-POS can be a natural fit. If you split your time between states or want maximum flexibility, keep reading.

PPO: more flexibility, different trade-offs

A PPO (Preferred Provider Organization) usually lets you see any provider who accepts Medicare, in or out of network, without a referral. Out-of-network care typically costs more than in-network care, but it's covered.

PPOs are a common shape in Kent County. Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, Humana and several UnitedHealthcare plans use this design. Some are "local" PPOs and some are "regional" PPOs — the regional label just means the network covers a larger service area defined by CMS.

PFFS: an older, less common design

A PFFS (Private Fee-for-Service) plan sets its own payment terms and lets you see any provider who agrees to those terms and accepts Medicare. PFFS plans used to be more common; today they're a small slice of the market.

Special Needs Plans: built for specific situations

Twenty of the 80 Kent County plans are Special Needs Plans (SNPs). These are Medicare Advantage plans designed for people who meet certain conditions. You can only enroll if you qualify. There are three flavors:

• D-SNP (Dual Eligible): for people who have both Medicare and Medicaid. Kent County carriers offering D-SNPs include Aetna, Centene (WellCare), Health Alliance Plan by Henry Ford Health, Humana, Molina Healthcare of Michigan, Priority Health Medicare and UnitedHealthcare.
• C-SNP (Chronic Condition): for people with a qualifying chronic illness. In Kent County you'll see, for example, HAP Medicare Diabetes and Heart, HumanaChoice - Diabetes and Heart, and UHC Complete Care Support MI-3.
• I-SNP (Institutional): for people who live in a nursing facility or need a similar level of care at home. Align Senior Care and Longevity Health Plan offer I-SNPs in the county.

If you think an SNP might fit your situation, ask the plan (or a SHIP counselor) whether you qualify before you enroll.

How to narrow the list without getting lost

With 80 plans in the county, working through them one by one isn't realistic. A few questions can shrink the list fast:

1. Do your doctors and hospitals need to be in-network? If yes, check each plan's network first. That alone often cuts the list in half. 2. Do you travel or spend winters elsewhere? A PPO or PFFS may travel better than an HMO. 3. Do you take specific prescriptions? Every Kent County MA plan includes drug coverage, but formularies differ. The Part D out-of-pocket cap is $2,100 in 2026 and $2,400 in 2027, and the maximum Part D deductible is $615 in 2026 and $700 in 2027. The Medicare Prescription Payment Plan lets you spread drug costs across the year in monthly installments. 4. Do you qualify for an SNP? If you're on Medicaid, have a qualifying chronic condition, or need institutional-level care, a Special Needs Plan may be worth a close look.

Dates to keep in mind

• Oct. 15 – Dec. 7, 2026: Medicare's Annual Enrollment Period. This is when most people join, switch or drop a Medicare Advantage or Part D plan for coverage that starts January 1, 2027.
• Jan. 1 – March 31: Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment. If you're already in an MA plan, you can switch to another MA plan or return to Original Medicare (and pick up a Part D plan) once during this window.
• Higher-income filers should also know that Part B and Part D IRMAA surcharges begin above $109,000 in income for a single filer in 2026.