Medicare Advantage

Buffalo's 2027 Medicare Advantage menu: how HMO, HMO-POS and PPO plans compare before you pick

Erie County has 60 Medicare Advantage plans for 2027. Compared with 2026, 21 plans are not coming back, 11 are new, and 18 continuing plans changed in some way you should check before December 7, 3 of them under a new name. This guide covers what those numbers mean for Buffalo, not which plan to pick.

BUFFALO, N.Y. — Fall 2026. With the Annual Enrollment Period for 2027 coverage running Oct. 15 through Dec. 7, 2026, the single biggest choice most Buffalo shoppers will make is not which plan — it is which type of plan. In Erie County, the Medicare Advantage lineup for next year splits mostly between HMO, HMO-POS and PPO, and the right fit depends less on price than on your doctors, your referrals and whether you spend time outside the area.

How many HMO, HMO-POS and PPO plans are offered in Buffalo for 2027?

Erie County, where Buffalo sits, has 60 Medicare Advantage plans from 11 carriers for 2027. By type, that breaks down to 27 HMO plans, 17 HMO-POS plans and 16 PPO plans. Counting HMO and HMO-POS together — both are built around a core network — 44 of the 60 local plans are HMO-style, and 16 are PPO.

That is a smaller overall count than the 70 plans offered in 2026. Across the market, 21 plans are not returning for 2027, 11 are new, and 3 are being renamed. The specifics for your current plan arrive in its ANOC, which plans mail by late September.

The table below lists every plan available in the county, with its type and whether it includes drug coverage.

What is the difference between HMO, HMO-POS, PPO and PFFS?

The plan type sets the rules for networks, referrals and out-of-network care. Here is how Medicare defines each at the program level:

• HMO (Health Maintenance Organization). You generally must use doctors, hospitals and pharmacies in the plan's network, except for emergencies and urgent care. Most HMOs ask you to pick a primary care physician and get a referral before you see a specialist. Out-of-network care is usually not covered at all.
• HMO-POS (HMO with a Point-of-Service option). Works like an HMO, but adds a limited ability to see certain out-of-network providers for specific services, usually at a higher cost. The POS "door" varies plan by plan.
• PPO (Preferred Provider Organization). You can see any Medicare-approved provider, in or out of network, without a referral. In-network care costs less; out-of-network care is covered but at a higher share. Good fit if you travel, have specialists outside the local network, or want flexibility.
• PFFS (Private Fee-for-Service). The plan sets payment terms, and you can see any Medicare provider who agrees to accept them. No PFFS plans are being offered in Erie County for 2027.

None of these types is cheaper or better in the abstract. The right one depends on who you see, where you go and how often you cross state lines.

Which carriers offer HMO, HMO-POS or PPO plans in Erie County for 2027?

For 2027, Erie County shoppers will see these carriers by plan type (listed alphabetically):

• HMO plans: Aetna (CVS Health), Centene (WellCare), Excellus Health Plan Community Care LLC, Excellus Health Plan, Inc, Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield or Highmark Blue Shield, Humana, Independent Health, Nascentia Health Plus, and VNS Health Medicare.
• HMO-POS plans: Aetna (CVS Health), Centene (WellCare), Excellus Health Plan, Inc, MVP HEALTH CARE, and UnitedHealthcare.
• PPO plans: Aetna (CVS Health), Centene (WellCare), Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield or Highmark Blue Shield, Humana, Independent Health, and UnitedHealthcare.

Several carriers offer more than one type, so the same name can show up in two columns. Which specific plans each company offers — and whether each one includes Part D drug coverage — is in the full table on this page.

Which plan type is right for a Buffalo retiree?

There is no single answer, but a few plain questions usually point to it:

• Do your doctors take the plan's network? This is the first filter. An HMO or HMO-POS only works if the specialists you already use are in network. Check the plan's provider directory before you decide.
• Do you want to see specialists without a referral? PPOs typically let you self-refer. Most HMOs require a referral from your primary care doctor.
• Do you travel or spend part of the year outside Western New York? A PPO's out-of-network coverage can matter here. An HMO generally won't cover routine care out of area.
• Do you take prescriptions? 58 of this year's plans include Part D drug coverage; some do not. If you need drug coverage inside your Medicare Advantage plan, confirm the plan is an "MA-PD."

For a side-by-side on your own doctors and drugs, the Medicare Plan Finder at medicare.gov is the official tool. You can also call 1-800-MEDICARE (TTY 1-877-486-2048), 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

What are the deadlines for 2027 Medicare Advantage changes in Buffalo?

The Annual Enrollment Period runs Oct. 15 through Dec. 7, 2026, and any change you make takes effect Jan. 1, 2027. If you do nothing, your current plan renews — with the changes listed in its ANOC — as long as it is still offered next year.

If you are already in a Medicare Advantage plan on Jan. 1, you also get the Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period from Jan. 1 through March 31, 2027, when you can switch to a different Medicare Advantage plan or return to Original Medicare one time.

A few 2027 program figures are already confirmed: the Part D out-of-pocket cap rises to $2,400 (from $2,100 in 2026), the Part D maximum deductible rises to $700 (from $615 in 2026), and the Part D national base beneficiary premium is $41.33 (a formula input, not what any plan charges). The 2027 Part B standard premium and deductible, and the 2027 IRMAA income brackets, have not been announced; CMS typically publishes them in November.