Medicare Advantage

UnitedHealthcare's 2027 Medicare Advantage plans in Buffalo: how to vet each one before Dec. 7

BUFFALO, N.Y. — As Annual Enrollment 2027 opens on October 15, 2026, UnitedHealthcare is offering nine Medicare Advantage plans in Erie County, the county Buffalo sits in, according to the CMS Medicare Advantage Landscape Source File. One of those plans is new for 2027, one is being renamed, and one plan the carrier offered this year will not return. If you have a UnitedHealthcare plan now — or you are weighing one — this is the window to check the lineup against your own doctors and prescriptions before the December 7, 2026 deadline.

MyMedicarePlans.org is an independent consumer site. We are not UnitedHealthcare, and UnitedHealthcare is one of 11 carriers selling Medicare Advantage in Erie County next year (60 plans in total across all carriers).

How many UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage plans are offered in Buffalo for 2027?

UnitedHealthcare is offering 9 Medicare Advantage plans in Erie County — the county Buffalo is in — for the 2027 plan year, per the CMS Landscape Source File. Six are HMO-POS plans and three are PPO plans. Eight include Part D drug coverage; one does not.

Six of the nine are Special Needs Plans: 4 Dual Eligible Special Needs Plans (D-SNPs) for people with both Medicare and Medicaid, 1 Chronic Condition Special Needs Plan (C-SNP), and 1 Institutional Special Needs Plan (I-SNP) for people living in a nursing facility. The table below lists every plan by name and type.

What's new, renamed or not returning in UnitedHealthcare's 2027 Buffalo lineup?

For 2027, UnitedHealthcare is adding one new plan in Erie County — UHC Dual Complete NY-S002 (HMO-POS D-SNP) — and renaming one plan: what was UHC Dual Complete NY-Y001 is now UHC Dual Complete NY-YL (HMO-POS D-SNP). One plan the carrier offered in 2026 is not being offered in 2027.

If you are enrolled in a plan that is leaving or changing, UnitedHealthcare must send you an Annual Notice of Change (ANOC) by late September. The ANOC spells out exactly what is different next year — the premium, deductible, drug tiers, provider network and extra benefits — for your specific plan. Read it before you decide to stay or switch.

What is the difference between HMO-POS, PPO and the Special Needs Plans on this list?

An HMO-POS plan uses a network of doctors and hospitals and usually asks you to pick a primary care doctor; the "POS" (point of service) piece lets you go out of network for certain services, under the plan's rules. A PPO gives you more flexibility to see out-of-network providers, generally at a higher cost share.

Special Needs Plans are a type of Medicare Advantage plan limited to people who meet specific eligibility rules. A D-SNP is for people enrolled in both Medicare and Medicaid. A C-SNP is for people with certain qualifying chronic conditions. An I-SNP is for people who live in — or need the level of care provided in — a long-term care facility. You cannot enroll in an SNP unless you meet its eligibility criteria.

How do I check a UnitedHealthcare plan against my doctors and prescriptions before December 7?

Use the Medicare Plan Finder at medicare.gov. Enter your ZIP code, add your prescriptions with their doses, and add your preferred pharmacy. The Plan Finder will show each plan's monthly premium, deductible, estimated yearly drug cost and whether your pharmacy is in network.

For doctors and hospitals, check the plan's own online provider directory or call UnitedHealthcare member services. Networks change year to year, so confirm every provider you care about — including specialists — for the 2027 plan year, not just 2026. If you want to talk to a person, 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227) is open 24/7.

What are the 2027 Part D figures I should know?

For 2027, Medicare has set the Part D out-of-pocket cap at $2,400 (up from $2,100 in 2026), and the Part D maximum deductible at $700 (up from $615 in 2026). The Part D national base beneficiary premium is $41.33 for 2027 — that is a formula input Medicare uses, not what any specific plan charges.

CMS has not yet announced the 2027 Part B standard premium and deductible, or the 2027 IRMAA income brackets. Those usually come out in the fall, generally November. Also remember: the coverage gap (the "donut hole") was eliminated in 2025, and the Medicare Prescription Payment Plan lets you spread your drug costs across the year in level monthly payments if you choose to opt in.

What happens if I do nothing by December 7, 2026?

If your current plan is being offered again in 2027, it renews automatically — with the premium, benefit and drug changes listed in your ANOC. You do not need to re-enroll. If your plan is not being offered in 2027, you will get a non-renewal notice and a Special Enrollment Period to pick a new plan.

If you want to make a change, Annual Enrollment runs October 15 through December 7, 2026, and the new plan starts January 1, 2027. Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment then runs January 1 through March 31, 2027, when someone already in a Medicare Advantage plan can switch to another MA plan or go back to Original Medicare one time.