Medicare Advantage

Medicare Advantage in Lincoln for 2027: 18 plans leaving, 18 new, and what members should do

For 2027, Lincoln is looking at 37 Medicare Advantage plans: 18 new, 18 gone since 2026, and 7 still here but changed on premium, deductible, plan type or name, 4 of them under a new name. Below, how the lineup shifted in Lancaster County and what to compare, with no plan ranked or recommended.

Medicare AdvantageLincoln, NE

Lincoln, Neb. — The 2027 Medicare Advantage lineup for Lancaster County is shifting in a real way this fall. According to CMS's Medicare Advantage Landscape files, 18 plans currently offered here will not return in 2027, another 18 are new, and four are being renamed. Two carriers — Medica and Molina Healthcare of Illinois — are exiting the county, while Devoted Health and Molina Healthcare of Nebraska are entering. If you live in Lincoln and your plan is on the "leaving" list, you have decisions to make before the Annual Enrollment Period closes on December 7.

Which plans are leaving Lancaster County after 2026

Eighteen plans sold in Lincoln this year will not be offered in 2027. They come from six carriers:

• Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Nebraska: MA Access (PPO), MA Core (HMO), MA Secure (PPO)
• Centene (WellCare): Wellcare Assist Open (PPO), Wellcare Dual Access Sync Open (PPO D-SNP), Wellcare Patriot Giveback Open (PPO), Wellcare Simple Open (PPO)
• Great Plains Medicare Advantage: Great Plains Medicare Advantage (HMO I-SNP), Great Plains Medicare Advantage Gold (HMO I-SNP) — these plan names are being refiled for 2027 (see below)
• Humana: Humana Full Access H5216-411 (PPO)
• Medica: Medica Advantage Preferred, Medica Advantage Select, Medica Advantage Solution H8889-009, Medica Advantage Value (all PPO) — Medica is exiting the county
• Molina Healthcare of Illinois: Molina Medicare Complete Care (HMO D-SNP) — the same plan name is being offered next year under Molina Healthcare of Nebraska
• UnitedHealthcare: UHC Dual Complete NE-S001, UHC Dual Complete NE-S003, UHC Dual Complete NE-V001 (all HMO-POS D-SNP)

If your card shows one of these plans, you will get a non-renewal letter from your carrier. That letter matters — keep it.

What's new for 2027

Eighteen plans are new to Lancaster County for the coming plan year. Two carriers are entering the market:

• Devoted Health is new to the county with eight PPO plans, including several Chronic-Condition and Dual-Eligible SNP options.
• Molina Healthcare of Nebraska is offering Molina Medicare Complete Care (HMO D-SNP).

Returning carriers are also launching new plans, including two new Aetna PPOs, two new Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Nebraska plans (MA Assure HMO-POS and MA Protect PPO), the refiled Great Plains I-SNP plans, and three new UnitedHealthcare offerings. The full table below lists every plan available in Lancaster County for 2027 side by side.

Renamed and changed plans

Four plans are keeping their footprint but changing names:

• Aetna Medicare Enhanced Classic Extra (PPO) — was Aetna Medicare Enhanced Extra (PPO)
• Aetna Medicare Signature Classic (PPO) — was Aetna Medicare Signature Extra (PPO)
• Aetna Medicare Signature Classic Extra (PPO) — was Aetna Medicare Signature (PPO)
• Wellcare Nebraska Total Care Dual Liberty Sync (HMO-POS D-SNP) — was Wellcare Dual Liberty Sync (HMO-POS D-SNP)

Beyond renames, CMS's files show seven plans continuing in Lincoln with a change to premium, deductible, plan type or name. We can't tell you the specifics — those are in the Annual Notice of Change (ANOC) your carrier mailed in late September. Pull it out and read it before you decide to stay.

What to do if your plan is leaving

1. Do not ignore the non-renewal letter. If you take no action, you will drop back to Original Medicare on January 1, 2027, without Part D drug coverage.

2. You have two enrollment windows.

• The Annual Enrollment Period runs October 15 – December 7. A choice made here starts January 1.
• Because your plan is not renewing, you also qualify for a Special Enrollment Period that runs through the end of February 2027. You can use it to pick a new Medicare Advantage plan or a stand-alone Part D plan, or to return to Original Medicare and add a Part D plan.

3. If you're thinking about switching to Original Medicare plus a Medigap policy, ask about your Medigap rights promptly — guaranteed-issue windows tied to a plan termination are time-limited, and Nebraska's rules on medical underwriting apply after that window closes.

4. If you want to stay in Medicare Advantage, the Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period (January 1 – March 31) gives you one more chance to change MA plans or drop back to Original Medicare if the plan you chose isn't working out.

The program numbers worth knowing

Whatever plan you land on, a few Medicare-wide changes take effect that shape the value of drug coverage:

• The Part D out-of-pocket cap is $2,100 for 2026.
• The Part D maximum deductible is $615 in 2026 ($700 in 2027).
• The old coverage gap ("donut hole") is gone as of 2025 — Part D now has three phases.
• The Medicare Prescription Payment Plan lets you spread your drug costs into monthly payments if you'd rather not pay big bills at the pharmacy counter.
• IRMAA income-related surcharges begin above $109,000 for a single filer in 2026.

How to compare your options

Start at medicare.gov/plan-compare with your list of drugs, your pharmacy, and your doctors. The tool will show every plan available in your ZIP code, including the new Devoted Health and Molina Healthcare of Nebraska plans, and estimate your total yearly cost for each one. If you'd rather talk to a person:

• 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227) is open 24/7.
• Nebraska SHIP (the state's free, unbiased Medicare counseling service) can walk through your options with you at no cost. Call 1-800-234-7119.