Medicare Advantage

HMO or PPO? Michigan Medicare Advantage for 2027: 97 HMO Plans, 83 PPO

LANSING, Mich. — Michiganders shopping Medicare Advantage for 2027 will see a familiar question at the top of nearly every comparison: HMO or PPO? According to the CMS Medicare Advantage Landscape Source File for CY2027, Michigan has 181 Medicare Advantage plans from 18 carriers statewide. By plan type, that breaks down to 97 HMO plans (47 HMO plus 50 HMO-POS), 83 PPO plans, and 1 PFFS plan. Those are statewide counts; what actually shows up on your doorstep is decided county by county.

Here is a plain-English guide to what those plan types mean, which carriers offer each in Michigan for 2027, and how to think about which type fits your doctors and your travel before the Annual Enrollment Period closes on December 7, 2026.

The statewide split by plan type

CMS counts each contracted plan once at the state level, even though a plan is sold county by county. For 2027 in Michigan, that statewide tally is:

• HMO: 47
• HMO-POS: 50
• PPO: 83
• PFFS: 1
• Total: 181 plans from 18 carriers

Grouping HMO and HMO-POS together — because HMO-POS is an HMO with a limited "point-of-service" option — gives 97 HMO-family plans compared with 83 PPO plans. The single PFFS plan is a small slice of the market but still a legitimate option in the places where it is offered.

The full plan-by-plan and carrier-by-carrier lists are rendered as tables elsewhere on this page; this article refers to them rather than repeating them.

What HMO, HMO-POS, PPO and PFFS actually mean

HMO (Health Maintenance Organization). You pick a primary care provider and generally use the plan's contracted network. Many HMOs require a referral to see a specialist. Out-of-network care is usually not covered except for emergencies and urgent care.

HMO-POS (Point of Service). Same HMO backbone, with a built-in "point-of-service" door that lets you get certain services outside the network under defined rules. The specifics — which services, under what conditions — are in each plan's Evidence of Coverage.

PPO (Preferred Provider Organization). You can see any provider that accepts the plan, in-network or out-of-network, usually without a referral. Out-of-network care is covered but typically at a different cost share than in-network care.

PFFS (Private Fee-for-Service). The plan sets the terms of payment, and any Medicare-approved provider willing to accept those terms and bill the plan can treat you. There is no fixed network in the HMO/PPO sense.

For dollar figures, drug coverage, specific provider lists, and star ratings, use the Medicare Plan Finder at medicare.gov, call 1-800-MEDICARE, or read the plan's own Evidence of Coverage and provider and pharmacy directories.

Which Michigan carriers offer each type in 2027

From the CMS 2027 Landscape file, the carriers offering each plan type in Michigan are:

• HMO carriers: Aetna (CVS Health), Align Senior Care, AmeriHealth Caritas VIP Care, Blue Care Network, Centene (WellCare), HAP CareSource MI Coordinated 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, Upper Peninsula Health Plan (UPHP) MI Coordinated Health, and Zing Health.
• HMO-POS carriers: Aetna (CVS Health), Align Senior Care, Blue Care Network, Centene (WellCare), Health Alliance Plan by Henry Ford Health, Humana, Priority Health Medicare, and UnitedHealthcare.
• PPO carriers: Aetna (CVS Health), Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, Devoted Health, Health Alliance Plan by Henry Ford Health, Humana, Priority Health Medicare, UnitedHealthcare, and Zing Health.
• PFFS carrier: Humana.

Several carriers appear on more than one list — for example, Aetna (CVS Health), Health Alliance Plan by Henry Ford Health, Humana, Priority Health Medicare, and UnitedHealthcare each offer more than one plan type statewide. Appearing on a list means the carrier offers at least one plan of that type somewhere in Michigan; it does not mean every county has it.

How to decide which type fits your doctors and travel

A few questions help narrow the HMO-vs.-PPO choice without wading into every plan:

• Who are your doctors, and are they all in one system? If your providers all participate in a single Michigan health system — such as Henry Ford Health, McLaren, Trinity Health, or Priority Health's network — an HMO built around that system can be a natural fit. If your doctors are spread across unrelated systems, a PPO's broader out-of-network rules may matter more.
• How often do you travel, and where? Snowbirds and frequent travelers often weigh PPO or PFFS rules more carefully, because HMO out-of-network coverage is generally limited to emergencies and urgent care.
• Do you want referrals, or do you want to self-refer? HMOs often use referrals; most PPOs do not require them.
• Is a specific prescription or specialist critical? Check the plan's own drug list and provider directory before you commit — not a general carrier brochure.

None of the above makes one plan type "better." It simply surfaces the trade-offs the Evidence of Coverage will spell out.

What to do before December 7

The Annual Enrollment Period runs October 15 to December 7, 2026, and any choice you make during it takes effect January 1, 2027. A simple sequence:

1. List your doctors, hospitals, and prescriptions, including dosages. 2. Note your ZIP code and county — availability is set at the county level. 3. Go to the Medicare Plan Finder at medicare.gov and enter your information to see the plans offered where you live. 4. For plans you are considering, read the Evidence of Coverage and check the provider and pharmacy directories. 5. If something is unclear, call 1-800-MEDICARE (TTY 1-877-486-2048), available 24/7.

Free help

You can compare every Michigan plan yourself at medicare.gov, and you can speak with Medicare directly at 1-800-MEDICARE (TTY 1-877-486-2048), 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Both are free.