Medicare Advantage

Dec. 7 Deadline: Weighing Durham's 69 Plans and 11 Carriers

For 2027, Durham is looking at 69 Medicare Advantage plans: 6 new, 11 gone since 2026, and 25 still here but changed on premium, deductible, plan type or name, 9 of them under a new name. Below, how the lineup shifted in Durham County and what to compare, with no plan ranked or recommended.

Durham, N.C. — Fall 2026 is comparison season for Medicare. From now through December 7, 2026, people with Medicare in Durham can switch, join or drop a Medicare Advantage plan for coverage that starts January 1, 2027. In Durham County, the 2027 lineup includes 69 Medicare Advantage plans from 11 carriers, according to the CMS Medicare Advantage Landscape Source File — a slightly smaller slate than this year, with some plans leaving, some arriving, and some simply renamed. Here is a plain, step‑by‑step way to compare them before the deadline.

How many Medicare Advantage plans are offered in Durham for 2027?

Durham is in Durham County, where 69 Medicare Advantage plans from 11 carriers are offered for 2027, per the CMS Landscape Source File. By plan type, that breaks down to 22 HMO, 20 HMO‑POS and 27 PPO plans, and 59 of the 69 include Part D drug coverage. Compared with 2026’s 74 plans from 12 carriers, the county has a few fewer options, but the mix across HMO, HMO‑POS and PPO is still wide. The table below lists every 2027 plan by carrier so you can see the full field at a glance.

Carriers offering plans in Durham County for 2027 (alphabetical): Aetna (CVS Health), Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina, Centene (WellCare), HealthSpring, HealthTeam Advantage, Humana, Liberty Medicare Advantage, Longevity Health Plan, PruittHealth Premier, Troy Medicare, and UnitedHealthcare.

What Special Needs Plans are available in Durham County in 2027?

Durham County has 28 Special Needs Plans in 2027: 20 Dual Eligible (D‑SNP), 3 Chronic Condition (C‑SNP) and 5 Institutional (I‑SNP). SNPs are only for people who qualify — for example, having both Medicare and full Medicaid (D‑SNP), living with a qualifying chronic condition such as diabetes or heart disease (C‑SNP), or living in a nursing home or needing a similar level of care at home (I‑SNP). Carriers offering D‑SNPs in the county for 2027 include Aetna, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina, Centene (WellCare), HealthSpring, Humana, Liberty Medicare Advantage, Troy Medicare and UnitedHealthcare.

What is new for Durham Medicare Advantage plans in 2027?

For 2027, Durham County has 6 new plans, 11 plans that are not returning, and several renamed plans. If your current plan is one that is leaving, your insurer must tell you in writing, and you’ll get a Special Enrollment Period to pick something else. If your plan is simply renamed or restructured, it will usually renew automatically on January 1 — but the details inside can change. That is what the Annual Notice of Change (ANOC), mailed by late September, is for: it lists next year’s premium, deductible, copays, drug tiers and extra benefits side by side with this year’s.

Program-wide, two 2027 Part D numbers are confirmed by CMS: the out‑of‑pocket drug cap rises to $2,400 (from $2,100 in 2026), and the maximum Part D deductible rises to $700 (from $615 in 2026). The 2027 Part B premium and deductible, and the 2027 IRMAA income brackets, had not been announced as of this writing; CMS typically publishes them later in the fall.

How do I compare Medicare Advantage plans in Durham step by step?

Use this six‑step checklist. It works whether you are staying put or switching.

1. Read your ANOC first. Look for changes to the monthly premium, medical deductible, primary‑care and specialist copays, drug deductible, drug tiers, out‑of‑pocket maximum, and extra benefits such as dental, vision, hearing or over‑the‑counter allowances. 2. List your doctors and hospitals. Write down each provider and the Duke Health, UNC Health or other facility you use. Any plan you consider should list them as in‑network for 2027 — confirm with the plan’s provider directory and, to be safe, with the office itself. 3. List every prescription. Include the exact name, dose and how often you take it. Small differences in how a plan tiers a drug can change what you pay all year. 4. Open the Medicare Plan Finder at medicare.gov. Enter your ZIP code, add your drugs, and pick your preferred pharmacies. The tool will show every Durham County plan with your estimated yearly drug cost, the premium, deductible, and the Star Rating. You can filter by HMO, HMO‑POS, PPO or SNP. 5. Check pharmacies. A plan may have “preferred” pharmacies where your copays are lower and “standard” pharmacies where they are higher. If you use mail order, check that too. 6. Read the Summary of Benefits for your top two or three plans before you enroll. The Evidence of Coverage is the full contract if you want more detail.

If anything is unclear, call 1‑800‑MEDICARE (1‑800‑633‑4227), available 24/7, or call the plan directly using the number on its website.

What happens if I do nothing before December 7 in Durham?

If you do nothing, your current Medicare Advantage plan renews automatically on January 1, 2027, as long as it is still offered — with the changes described in your ANOC. If your plan is one of the 11 not returning to Durham County, you will get a non‑renewal notice and a Special Enrollment Period to choose a new plan or go back to Original Medicare. You also get a second chance to adjust between January 1 and March 31, 2027 during the Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period, when people already in a Medicare Advantage plan can switch once to another Advantage plan or return to Original Medicare (with a Part D plan).