Medicare Advantage
Blue Cross of Minnesota's 2027 Medicare Advantage plans in St. Paul: three new, four not returning
ST. PAUL — As the Medicare Annual Enrollment Period opens for 2027 coverage, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota is reshaping much of its Medicare Advantage lineup in Ramsey County. Of the carrier's current slate, four plans will not return next year, and three new ones are launching for 2027. If you have a Blue Cross plan today, the changes will be spelled out in your Annual Notice of Change (ANOC) — and you have until December 7, 2026 to decide what to do.
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Key takeaways
- Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota will offer four Medicare Advantage PPO plans in Ramsey County for 2027, three of them new.
- Four Blue Cross plans available this year are not returning in 2027; the Annual Notice of Change (ANOC) your plan mails explains what applies to you.
- The Annual Enrollment Period runs October 15 through December 7, 2026, and any change you make takes effect January 1, 2027.
- Use Medicare.gov's Plan Finder or call 1-800-MEDICARE to check any plan against your doctors and prescriptions before you enroll.
| Fact | Figure | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Medicare Advantage plans offered in Ramsey County (2026) | 37 | CMS |
| Medicare Advantage plans offered in Ramsey County (2027) | 27 | CMS |
| Plans not returning for 2027 / new for 2027 | 18 / 8 | CMS |
| Organizations offering Medicare Advantage in Ramsey County (2026) | 7 | CMS |
| Share of eligible beneficiaries in Medicare Advantage, Ramsey County | 60% | CMS |
| Residents age 65 and older, Ramsey County | 85,596 | U.S. Census Bureau |
| Part B standard monthly premium (2026) | $202.90 | Medicare.gov |
| Part D out-of-pocket cap (2026) | $2,100 | CMS |
| Part D out-of-pocket cap (2027) | $2,400 | CMS |
| Annual Enrollment Period (for 2027 coverage) | October 15 – December 7, 2026 | Medicare.gov |
| Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period | January 1 – March 31 | Medicare.gov |
Area counts are for the county as a whole and are not a recommendation of any plan. Program figures are set nationally.
MyMedicarePlans.org is an independent consumer news site. We are not Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota, and we are not Medicare. Blue Cross is one of six carriers offering Medicare Advantage plans in Ramsey County for 2027; together those carriers offer 27 plans.
What Blue Cross Medicare Advantage plans will be sold in St. Paul for 2027?
In Ramsey County, which is where St. Paul sits, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota will offer four Medicare Advantage plans for 2027. All four are PPOs. Three include Part D prescription drug coverage, and one does not. The carrier is not offering a Special Needs Plan (D-SNP, C-SNP or I-SNP) here next year.
The four plans, in alphabetical order:
- Blue Cross Medicare Advantage Essential (PPO) — PPO, with drug coverage, new for 2027
- Blue Cross Medicare Advantage Freedom Blue (PPO) — PPO, without drug coverage
- Blue Cross Medicare Advantage Premier (PPO) — PPO, with drug coverage, new for 2027
- Blue Cross Medicare Advantage Select (PPO) — PPO, with drug coverage, new for 2027
The table on this page lists each plan with its type and whether it includes drug coverage. Specific premiums, copays, networks, drug lists and star ratings are not shown here — those live on the Medicare Plan Finder and in each plan's Evidence of Coverage.
What is new or not returning from Blue Cross in Ramsey County for 2027?
Three of the four 2027 Blue Cross plans in Ramsey County are new names: Essential, Premier, and Select. Freedom Blue carries over from this year.
Four Blue Cross plans sold in 2026 — Choice, Comfort, Complete, and Core — are not being offered for 2027. If you are enrolled in one of those plans, your ANOC will explain what happens next, including whether Blue Cross is moving you into one of the new plans or whether you need to pick something else during the Annual Enrollment Period. Read that notice carefully when it arrives.
What should I do if my Blue Cross plan is not returning in 2027?
Start by reading the ANOC and plan materials your carrier mails or posts in your online account. Then compare your options on Medicare.gov before December 7, 2026.
A few practical steps:
- Make a list of your current doctors, hospitals and pharmacies.
- Make a list of your prescription drugs with the dose and how often you take them.
- Go to Medicare.gov/plan-compare, enter your ZIP code and your drugs, and check each plan you are considering against that list.
- If anything is unclear, call 1-800-MEDICARE (TTY 1-877-486-2048), available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
If you do nothing and your plan is renewing, it simply renews with the changes in the ANOC. If your plan is not being offered in 2027, you need to pick a new plan or you will fall back to Original Medicare.
When is the deadline to change plans for 2027?
The Medicare Annual Enrollment Period runs October 15 through December 7, 2026. A change made in that window takes effect January 1, 2027. After that, Medicare Advantage members get a second window — the Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period from January 1 through March 31, 2027 — to switch Medicare Advantage plans once or return to Original Medicare.
What Part D numbers should St. Paul readers know for 2027?
CMS has confirmed a few Part D figures that apply nationwide, including in Ramsey County:
- Part D out-of-pocket cap: $2,400 in 2027 (up from $2,100 in 2026).
- Part D maximum deductible: $700 in 2027 (up from $615 in 2026).
- Part D national base beneficiary premium: $41.33 for 2027 — a formula input, not what any specific plan charges.
The 2027 Part B standard premium and deductible, and the 2027 IRMAA income brackets, have not been announced yet. CMS typically publishes those later in the fall.
How do I check a plan against my doctors and prescriptions?
The Medicare Plan Finder at Medicare.gov is the official tool. You can enter your drugs, your pharmacy and your ZIP code, and see how each plan available in Ramsey County handles them. For doctor and hospital networks, check the plan's own provider directory on the carrier's website, or call the plan and the provider's office to confirm.
Doing this before you enroll — not after — is the single most useful step most people can take during Annual Enrollment.
By the numbers
Medicare Part B premium, 2006–2026
The standard monthly Part B premium has climbed from $88.50 in 2006 to $202.90 in 2026. Hover any point for that year’s premium.
Source: CMS. Standard premium shown; in some hold-harmless years many existing enrollees paid less. Confirm at Medicare.gov.
By the numbers
How people get Medicare in Ramsey County
(MA penetration in Ramsey County)
MA penetration from CMS enrollment data; Medigap share is an estimate. U.S. average is about 54% Medicare Advantage. These are area-level figures, not plan-specific.
2027 plan lineup
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota Medicare Advantage plans in Ramsey County for 2027
CMS lists 4 Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota Medicare Advantage plans in Ramsey County for 2027, alphabetically by carrier. 5 other carriers also offer plans there.
| Plan | Type | Drug coverage | For 2027 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota 4 plans | |||
| Blue Cross Medicare Advantage Essential (PPO) | PPO | Yes | New |
| Blue Cross Medicare Advantage Freedom Blue (PPO) | PPO | No | Returning |
| Blue Cross Medicare Advantage Premier (PPO) | PPO | Yes | New |
| Blue Cross Medicare Advantage Select (PPO) | PPO | Yes | New |
Source: CMS Medicare Advantage Landscape Source Files, plan years 2026 and 2027. Plan availability is set at the county level. No plan is ranked or recommended; premiums, benefits, networks and star ratings are not shown. Plan details come from the Medicare Plan Finder at medicare.gov or the plan itself.
The 2027 choices, by type
How Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota Medicare Advantage plans in Ramsey County break down for 2027
HMO plans use a network and usually a primary-care doctor and referrals; HMO-POS plans add some out-of-network coverage; PPO plans also cover out-of-network care, at a higher share; PFFS plans pay any provider that accepts the plan’s terms. Special Needs Plans serve people with Medicare and Medicaid (D-SNP), certain chronic conditions (C-SNP) or living in an institution (I-SNP).
Source: CMS Medicare Advantage Landscape Source Files, plan years 2026 and 2027. Plan availability is set at the county level. No plan is ranked or recommended; premiums, benefits, networks and star ratings are not shown. Plan details come from the Medicare Plan Finder at medicare.gov or the plan itself.
Key dates
Medicare enrollment periods at a glance
- Around your 65thInitial Enrollment PeriodA 7-month window around the month you turn 65 — your first chance to sign up.
- October 15 – December 7Annual Enrollment PeriodAnyone with Medicare can join, switch, or drop a Medicare Advantage or Part D plan.
- January 1 – March 31Medicare Advantage Open EnrollmentIf you're already in a Medicare Advantage plan, you can make one change.
- January 1 – March 31General Enrollment PeriodFor people who missed their first chance to sign up for Part B.
- VariesSpecial Enrollment PeriodTriggered by life events like moving or losing other coverage.
Dates are set by Medicare and apply nationwide. Confirm your personal windows at Medicare.gov or 1-800-MEDICARE.
Explore
When can you enroll? An interactive year
Enrollment windows are federal and the same nationwide. Confirm your personal dates at Medicare.gov or 1-800-MEDICARE.
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The parts of Medicare
Good to know
Frequently asked questions
How many Medicare Advantage plans will Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota offer in Ramsey County for 2027?
What happens if I do nothing during Annual Enrollment?
Are there other carriers besides Blue Cross in Ramsey County?
Where can I get help comparing plans against my own doctors and drugs?
- CMS — MA Landscape Source File (plan-level availability by county)
- CMS — MA Landscape Source Files, current and coming plan year (year-over-year comparison)
- CMS — Medicare enrollment periods (medicare.gov)
For personalized answers, contact Medicare.gov or 1-800-MEDICARE.
Also for St. Paul
Sources and methodology
- CMS, Medicare Advantage and Part D Landscape Source Files
- CMS, Medicare Advantage state/county penetration and enrollment files
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (table B01001, age 65 and older)
- Medicare.gov, Medicare costs (Part B premium)
- CMS, Medicare prescription drug coverage (Part D) program rules
- CMS, Medicare Advantage and Part D plan-year announcements
- Medicare.gov, enrollment periods and plan rules
Figures cited in this article
- CMS — Medicare Advantage Landscape Source Files (2026 and 2027): the Ramsey County plan counts, carrier counts, plan names, plan types, drug coverage status, and which plans are new or not returning.
- Medicare.gov: the Annual Enrollment Period dates, the Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period, and the Plan Finder tool for personalized plan comparisons.
- CMS — 2027 Part D parameters: the out-of-pocket cap, maximum deductible, and national base beneficiary premium for 2027.
How we put this together: area counts come from the CMS files listed above for the county that contains this city, program figures come from CMS, Medicare.gov and the Social Security Administration, and no plan is ranked or recommended.
By The Medicare Desk · Published . For personalized answers, contact Medicare.gov or 1-800-MEDICARE.
Content Integrity Standards
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This page was last updated: October 2026.