Medicare Advantage

Compare 224 New York Medicare Advantage Plans for 2027 From 24 Carriers

ALBANY, N.Y. — New Yorkers with Medicare have a fresh set of Medicare Advantage choices to look through for 2027, and the window to pick one is already on the calendar. According to the CMS Medicare Advantage Landscape Source Files for CY2027, 224 Medicare Advantage plans will be offered somewhere in New York next year, spread across 24 carriers. Because plans are approved county by county, the list a reader actually sees at home will be shorter than the statewide list — and that is exactly why the comparison is best done in your own ZIP code.

The Annual Enrollment Period runs October 15 through December 7, 2026. A choice made during that window takes effect January 1, 2027. There is time to read, ask questions, and compare before deciding.

The statewide numbers for 2027

Across New York, CMS lists 224 Medicare Advantage plans for 2027 offered by 24 carriers. All 224 include Part D prescription drug coverage. Compared with 2026, 69 plans are new for 2027 and 63 plans are not returning for 2027. That churn is normal from year to year, but it is the single biggest reason to actually look again this fall rather than assume your 2026 plan will look the same on January 1.

Remember: these counts are statewide. A plan appearing in the statewide total may not be sold in your county at all. The county-level view on Medicare.gov is what matters for your decision.

Plan types and Special Needs Plans

Of the 224 plans in New York for 2027, 103 are HMO, 55 are HMO-POS, and 66 are PPO. Each type handles referrals and out-of-network care differently, which is worth asking about when you compare specific plans.

Special Needs Plans (SNPs) are a separate category for people who meet certain conditions:

• D-SNP (for people with both Medicare and Medicaid): 50 plans
• C-SNP (for people with certain chronic conditions): 20 plans
• I-SNP (for people living in an institution such as a nursing facility, or who need that level of care at home): 9 plans

If you may qualify for a SNP, confirm eligibility before enrolling; the plan or 1-800-MEDICARE can walk you through it.

The carriers offering plans in New York for 2027

Twenty-four carriers are on the 2027 New York landscape. The full carrier-by-carrier plan counts are shown in the table on this page. A few points worth noting from that list:

• The largest carriers by number of plans statewide include UnitedHealthcare (28), Devoted Health (23), Excellus Health Plan, Inc (19), Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield or Highmark Blue Shield (13), Centene (WellCare) (12), and Elevance Health (Anthem) (12), with Aetna (CVS Health) at 41.
• Several carriers focus heavily or exclusively on D-SNPs, including Excellus Health Plan Community Care LLC, Hamaspik, Inc., Senior Whole Health of New York, ElderServe Health, Nascentia Health Plus, VillageCareMAX, and VNS Health Medicare.
• Regional carriers such as CDPHP Medicare Advantage, Independent Health, MVP HEALTH CARE, EmblemHealth, Healthfirst Medicare Plan, MetroPlus Health Plan, Elderplan, Longevity Health Plan, and Trinity Health Plan New York round out the statewide list.

Being on the statewide list does not mean a carrier sells in every county. Use the table and then confirm in Plan Finder.

A step-by-step way to compare the plans in your own county

Here is a practical sequence that works whether you are new to Medicare Advantage or re-shopping an existing plan.

1. Start at Medicare.gov and open the Plan Finder. Enter your ZIP code so you only see plans offered in your county for 2027. 2. Make a list of your doctors and hospitals. For each plan you are considering, check the plan's own provider directory (not a general web search) to confirm they are in network for 2027. 3. Enter every prescription you take, with dose and frequency, into Plan Finder. The tool will show how each plan covers each drug. 4. Add your preferred pharmacies, including mail order if you use it. The same drug can be treated differently at different pharmacies within the same plan. 5. If you already have a Medicare Advantage plan, read the Annual Notice of Change (ANOC) your plan mailed in September. It spells out what is changing for 2027 — including whether the plan is being discontinued, which matters this year with 63 plans not returning. 6. For any plan on your short list, request or download the Evidence of Coverage (EOC) to see the full rules. 7. If a Special Needs Plan might fit, confirm you qualify (Medicaid status, chronic condition, or institutional level of care) before enrolling.

What to do before December 7, 2026

The Annual Enrollment Period runs October 15 through December 7, 2026, and a choice made in that window takes effect January 1, 2027. A simple checklist:

• Confirm your ZIP code and county view in Plan Finder.
• Have your Medicare number, a current prescription list, and your doctors and pharmacies written down.
• Read your current plan's ANOC if you have one.
• Narrow to two or three plans and compare them side by side on providers, drugs, and the plan's own documents.
• Enroll by December 7, 2026 if you are changing plans. If you are keeping your current plan and it is returning for 2027, no action is required — but reading the ANOC is still a good idea.

Free help

You do not have to do this alone, and you do not have to pay anyone to help you compare.

• Medicare.gov has the official Plan Finder, plan documents, and county-level availability.
• 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227) is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, including TTY at 1-877-486-2048. Representatives can look up plans in your county and walk through enrollment.