Medicare Advantage

Minneapolis Medicare Advantage in 2027: the full carrier-by-carrier plan lineup

People in Minneapolis can choose from 25 Medicare Advantage plans for 2027, against 32 this year. 13 of this year’s plans are gone, 6 are new to Hennepin County, and 9 that continue have changed their premium, deductible, plan type or name, 3 of them under a new name.

Medicare AdvantageMinneapolis, MN

If you live in Minneapolis and you're weighing your Medicare Advantage choices for 2027, it helps to start with a simple question: which plans are actually sold where I live, and who offers them? Minneapolis sits in Hennepin County, and Medicare plan availability is set at the county level. According to the CMS Medicare Advantage Landscape Source File for plan year 2027, Hennepin County has 22 Medicare Advantage plans on offer from 6 carriers.

The 2027 Medicare Advantage picture in Minneapolis

The table below lists every plan by carrier, its plan type (HMO, HMO-POS, or PPO), and whether it includes drug coverage. This article walks you through how to read that list so you can narrow it down without getting overwhelmed.

Who's selling Medicare Advantage in Hennepin County

Six carriers offer Medicare Advantage plans in Hennepin County for 2027. Listed alphabetically, they are:

• Aetna (CVS Health) — 8 plans (all PPO; 2 are Special Needs Plans). These are branded as Allina Health Aetna Medicare plans.
• Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota — 5 plans (all PPO).
• Blue Plus — 1 plan (HMO; it's a Special Needs Plan called SecureBlue).
• HealthPartners — 5 plans (HMO and PPO; 1 Special Needs Plan).
• Medica — 6 plans (HMO, HMO-POS, and PPO; 1 Special Needs Plan).
• UnitedHealthcare — 7 plans (all PPO; 2 Special Needs Plans). Most are branded AARP Medicare Advantage.

Keep in mind that "how many plans a carrier offers" is not a measure of quality — it just tells you the shape of the local market. To compare specific benefits, copays, drug lists, or provider networks, you'll want to check the Medicare Plan Finder at medicare.gov or the plan's own documents.

Understanding the plan types on the list

On the 2027 Hennepin County list, most plans are PPOs. PPO plans generally let you see providers outside the plan's network, though usually at a higher cost. HMO plans typically ask you to use in-network providers and pick a primary care doctor. An HMO-POS is an HMO with a limited "point of service" option to go out of network for certain services.

Whether one structure fits you better usually comes down to your doctors, the hospital systems you use, and how much flexibility you want. If keeping a specific specialist matters, look up whether that provider is in the plan's network before you enroll.

Special Needs Plans in the local roster

Some of the 22 plans in Hennepin County for 2027 are Special Needs Plans, or SNPs. Two types appear on the list:

• C-SNPs (Chronic Condition SNPs) — designed for people with certain long-term health conditions. Examples on the local roster include Allina Health Aetna Medicare Chronic (PPO C-SNP), Allina Health Aetna Medicare Value (PPO C-SNP), UHC Complete Care MN-7 (PPO C-SNP), and UHC Complete Care Support MN-8 (PPO C-SNP).
• D-SNPs (Dual Eligible SNPs) — for people who qualify for both Medicare and Medicaid. Local examples include SecureBlue (HMO D-SNP), HealthPartners Minnesota Senior Health Options (HMO D-SNP), and Medica DUAL Solution (HMO D-SNP).

You have to meet the eligibility rules for an SNP to enroll. If you're not sure whether you qualify, Minnesota's State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP), called the Senior LinkAge Line, can walk you through it for free.

Drug coverage: what's included and what's changing in 2027

Every one of the 22 Medicare Advantage plans available in Hennepin County for 2027 includes prescription drug coverage, so you don't need a separate stand-alone Part D plan if you enroll in one of them. CMS shows 0 stand-alone Part D plans listed in the Hennepin County MA landscape file (stand-alone Part D plans are counted separately in a different CMS file).

A few program-level Part D changes for 2027 apply no matter which plan you pick:

• The Part D annual out-of-pocket cap is $2,100 in 2026. Once your covered drug spending reaches that amount, you pay $0 for covered drugs the rest of the year.
• The Part D maximum deductible is $615 in 2026 ($700 in 2027).
• The old coverage gap ("donut hole") was eliminated in 2025. Part D now has three phases instead of four.
• The Medicare Prescription Payment Plan lets you spread your drug costs across the year in monthly payments instead of paying at the pharmacy counter. It's optional and free to sign up.

How to decide from a list of 32

A long list is less scary when you filter it in a few steps:

1. Start with your doctors and hospitals. Look up each plan's network before you look at anything else. A plan that doesn't include your providers isn't the right plan, no matter how it looks on paper. 2. Check your prescriptions. Every plan on the local list includes drug coverage, but formularies differ. Enter your medications into the Medicare Plan Finder to see how each plan treats them. 3. Think about how you use care. If you travel or want more freedom to see out-of-network providers, a PPO structure may fit. If you're comfortable with a coordinated network, an HMO may work. 4. Confirm eligibility for any SNP. These plans have extra rules and aren't open to everyone. 5. Note the dates. The Annual Enrollment Period is October 15 through December 7. If you enroll in a Medicare Advantage plan and want to switch, the Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period runs January 1 through March 31.

One more thing worth knowing: IRMAA surcharges (higher Part B and Part D premiums for higher-income enrollees) start above $109,000 in income for a single filer in 2026. That's a Medicare-wide rule, not a plan-specific one.