Medicare Advantage

HealthSpring Medicare Advantage in North Carolina for 2027: 13 Plans, County by County

RALEIGH, N.C. — For the 2027 plan year, HealthSpring will offer 13 Medicare Advantage plans across North Carolina, according to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Medicare Advantage Landscape Source Files for CY2027. HealthSpring is listed under its parent organization, Health Care Service Corporation (HCSC), but the plans are sold under the HealthSpring name. This article is an educational summary from an independent Medicare information site; it is not the carrier, not an insurance agency, and not affiliated with any government agency.

Because Medicare Advantage is sold county by county, a plan that appears on the statewide list may or may not be available where you live. The details below describe what CMS shows for the state as a whole.

What HealthSpring offers statewide for 2027

CMS shows 13 HealthSpring Medicare Advantage plans in North Carolina for 2027. By plan type, that includes 10 HMO plans and 3 PPO plans. All 13 include Part D prescription drug coverage.

Three of the plans are Special Needs Plans (SNPs): 2 Dual Eligible SNPs (D-SNPs), which are designed for people who have both Medicare and Medicaid, and 1 Chronic Condition SNP (C-SNP), designed for people with a qualifying chronic condition. HealthSpring does not list an Institutional SNP (I-SNP) in the state for 2027.

For context, CMS lists 15 other carriers offering Medicare Advantage plans in North Carolina for 2027, with 179 Medicare Advantage plans available across all carriers statewide.

The HealthSpring plans with the widest county reach

The full plan list, with county counts, appears in the table on this page. Based on CMS county-level availability, the HealthSpring plans reaching the most North Carolina counties for 2027 are HealthSpring Courage (HMO), HealthSpring TotalCare (HMO D-SNP), and HealthSpring TotalCare Plus (HMO D-SNP), each offered in 24 counties.

Other plans in the lineup — including multiple HealthSpring Preferred (HMO), HealthSpring Preferred Savings (HMO), and HealthSpring True Choice (PPO) entries — are available in smaller groups of counties, ranging from 3 to 11. The new HealthSpring Achieve (HMO C-SNP) is listed in 10 counties. Because county reach varies plan by plan, two neighbors in different counties can have very different HealthSpring options.

What is new, and what is not returning

CMS flags one HealthSpring plan as new for 2027 in North Carolina: HealthSpring Achieve (HMO C-SNP), a Chronic Condition Special Needs Plan available in 10 counties.

The count of HealthSpring plans not returning for 2027 is not available in the source file used here, so we are stating none rather than estimating. If you are currently enrolled in a HealthSpring plan, watch for the Annual Notice of Change (ANOC) the carrier is required to send in the fall. That document spells out what, if anything, is changing on your specific plan for next year.

Checking whether a plan is offered in your county — and covers your doctors and prescriptions

A statewide list is a starting point, not a confirmation. To know whether a specific HealthSpring plan is actually available at your address and will work for your care:

1. Go to the Medicare Plan Finder at medicare.gov and enter your ZIP code. Plan Finder will show the Medicare Advantage plans offered in your county for 2027, including which HealthSpring plans apply. 2. Add your prescriptions and preferred pharmacies in Plan Finder. The tool will show how each plan handles your specific drug list. 3. Check the provider directory for any plan you are considering to see whether your doctors, specialists, and hospitals are in network. For HMO plans, in-network care matters a great deal; PPO plans handle out-of-network care differently. The plan's Evidence of Coverage (EOC) explains the rules in detail. 4. If you may qualify for a D-SNP or C-SNP, confirm eligibility — D-SNPs require Medicaid eligibility, and C-SNPs require a qualifying chronic condition documented by your clinician.

You can also call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227), 24 hours a day, seven days a week, for help confirming availability and comparing options.

What to do before December 7

The Medicare Annual Enrollment Period (AEP) runs October 15 through December 7, 2026. A choice made during that window takes effect January 1, 2027. A short checklist:

• Read your current plan's ANOC if you have one, and note any changes for 2027.
• Make a list of your doctors, hospitals, and prescriptions, including dosages.
• Use Plan Finder at medicare.gov to compare the HealthSpring plans available in your county alongside plans from other carriers.
• Write down plan names and plan ID numbers you are considering, so you can discuss them with family or a licensed professional.
• If you decide to enroll, do so by December 7, 2026, for a January 1, 2027 effective date.

There is no need to rush a decision — the dates are what they are. The goal is to make a choice that fits your health, your budget, and the providers you want to keep.

Where to get free help

Two no-cost resources are available to every North Carolinian with Medicare:

• Medicare.gov — the official federal site. The Plan Finder lets you compare plans with your own prescriptions and pharmacies.
• 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227), TTY 1-877-486-2048, available 24/7.

You can also call HealthSpring directly using the number on the plan materials or on medicare.gov to ask plan-specific questions about coverage rules, networks, and formularies.