Medicare Advantage

Albuquerque Medicare Advantage shopping for 2027: a step-by-step way to compare

People in Albuquerque can choose from 36 Medicare Advantage plans for 2027, against 51 this year. 24 of this year’s plans are gone, 9 are new to Bernalillo County, and 22 that continue have changed their premium, deductible, plan type or name, 9 of them under a new name.

ALBUQUERQUE — The fall 2026 Medicare Annual Enrollment Period is open through Dec. 7, and in Bernalillo County, the lineup of Medicare Advantage plans for 2027 looks different than it did this year. Nine plans are new, 24 are not returning, and the overall count has shifted — which means even if you love your current plan, it is worth a careful look before the deadline.

Albuquerque is in Bernalillo County, where Medicare uses county boundaries to decide which plans you can join. For 2027, 36 Medicare Advantage plans from 7 carriers will be sold in the county, according to the CMS Medicare Advantage Landscape Source File. Here is how to work through them in a calm, methodical way.

What is on offer in Bernalillo County for 2027

For plan year 2027, the county's 36 Medicare Advantage plans break down this way: 14 HMOs, 3 HMO-POS plans, and 19 PPOs. All 36 include prescription drug coverage.

Special Needs Plans (SNPs) are built for people with specific situations. For 2027, Bernalillo County has 7 Dual-Eligible SNPs (for people with both Medicare and Medicaid) and 8 Chronic Condition SNPs (for people with qualifying conditions such as diabetes or heart disease). There are no Institutional SNPs in the county for 2027.

The seven carriers offering plans for 2027, in alphabetical order, are Blue Cross Blue Shield (HCSC), Devoted Health, HealthSpring, Humana, Molina Healthcare of New Mexico, Presbyterian Health Plan, and UnitedHealthcare. The table below lists every plan by carrier.

What is new for 2027

Three things to know going in:

• 9 new plans are being introduced in the county for 2027.
• 24 plans are not returning. If you are in one of them, your carrier is required to send you a non-renewal notice. You will need to pick a new plan during AEP or you will drop back to Original Medicare on Jan. 1.
• 9 plans have been renamed. The plan may look unfamiliar on paper even though the coverage is similar — the ANOC spells out exactly what changed.

Separately, two program-level numbers are confirmed for 2027: the Part D out-of-pocket cap rises to $2,400 (from $2,100 in 2026), and the Part D maximum deductible rises to $700 (from $615 in 2026). CMS publishes the 2027 Part B premium, Part B deductible, and IRMAA income brackets later in the fall.

A step-by-step way to compare

Give yourself an uninterrupted hour. Pour coffee. Here is the order that works.

1. Read your Annual Notice of Change (ANOC). Your current plan mailed this to you in September 2026. It lists every change for 2027 — premium, deductible, copays, drug tiers, provider network, extra benefits. If something you rely on is gone or more expensive, you have a reason to shop.

2. List your doctors and hospitals. Write them down with addresses. For each plan you are considering, check the plan's own provider directory (not a general search) to confirm each one is in-network for 2027. Call the clinic if you are unsure — ask specifically whether they accept the plan you are considering for 2027.

3. List your prescriptions. Include the exact name, dose, and how often you fill. Enter them into the Medicare Plan Finder at medicare.gov/plan-compare. The tool will show you, for each plan, whether each drug is covered, what tier it is on, and the estimated yearly cost.

4. Check your pharmacy. Plans divide pharmacies into preferred, standard, and out-of-network, and your cost can differ a lot between them. Make sure the pharmacy you actually use is a preferred one under any plan you are considering — or be ready to switch pharmacies.

5. Think about plan type. HMOs usually require you to stay in-network except for emergencies and often need referrals. PPOs let you see out-of-network providers, usually at a higher cost. HMO-POS plans are a hybrid. None is "better" — they match different lives.

6. Consider a Special Needs Plan if you qualify. If you have both Medicare and Medicaid, or a qualifying chronic condition, a D-SNP or C-SNP may be designed around your situation. The 15 SNPs in the county for 2027 are built for specific eligibility; you cannot join one unless you meet the criteria.

Using the Medicare Plan Finder

The Plan Finder at medicare.gov is the official comparison tool. Log in with your Medicare account so it remembers your drugs and pharmacies. You can filter by plan type, by carrier, and by whether a plan covers specific drugs. It will show an estimated annual cost that combines premium, deductible, copays, and drug costs — a far more useful number than premium alone.

If you prefer to talk it through, 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227) is open 24/7, and the agents there are not selling anything.

If you do nothing

Nothing dramatic happens. If your 2026 plan is being offered again in 2027, you stay in it with the changes described in the ANOC. If your plan is one of the 24 not returning, you will get a notice and should pick a new plan by Dec. 7 — otherwise you move to Original Medicare on Jan. 1, 2027, with no Part D coverage unless you add it.

And if you change your mind after Jan. 1? Medicare Advantage members get a second window, the Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period, from Jan. 1 – March 31, 2027, to switch to another MA plan once or return to Original Medicare.