Medicare Advantage

Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island Medicare Advantage for 2027: 6 Plans

PROVIDENCE — For the 2027 plan year, Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island will offer 6 Medicare Advantage plans statewide, according to the CMS Medicare Advantage Landscape Source File. The carrier is one of 3 companies offering Medicare Advantage in Rhode Island next year, part of a statewide field of 22 plans. This article is published by an independent Medicare education site; it is not the government and not affiliated with any insurance carrier.

How many Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island Medicare Advantage plans are offered in Rhode Island for 2027?

Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island lists 6 Medicare Advantage plans statewide in Rhode Island for 2027. By plan type, that breaks down as 2 HMO plans and 4 HMO-POS plans.

Of those 6 plans, 5 include Medicare Part D prescription drug coverage and 1 does not. The carrier also offers 1 Special Needs Plan — a Dual-Eligible Special Needs Plan (D-SNP) for people who qualify for both Medicare and Medicaid. It does not offer a Chronic Condition SNP (C-SNP) or an Institutional SNP (I-SNP) in Rhode Island for 2027.

For context, Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island is one of 3 carriers offering Medicare Advantage in the state next year, and all carriers combined account for 22 plans across Rhode Island.

Which Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island plans have the widest county reach in Rhode Island for 2027?

All 6 Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island plans for 2027 are listed in 5 Rhode Island counties, according to the CMS Landscape file. Those plans are BlueCHiP for Medicare Access (HMO-POS), BlueCHiP for Medicare Core (HMO), BlueCHiP for Medicare Enhanced (HMO-POS), BlueCHiP for Medicare Essential (HMO-POS), BlueCHiP for Medicare Extra (HMO-POS), and BlueRI for Duals (HMO D-SNP).

Because Medicare Advantage is sold county by county, a plan listed statewide may still vary in availability at the local level. The full plan-by-plan table on this page shows plan type, drug coverage, and county count for each option. The BlueRI for Duals plan is the carrier's D-SNP; eligibility for a D-SNP depends on also qualifying for Medicaid.

What is new or not returning from Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island in Rhode Island for 2027?

Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island is introducing 0 new Medicare Advantage plans in Rhode Island for 2027, and 0 of its current plans are leaving for 2027, based on the CMS Landscape Source Files comparing CY2026 and CY2027.

In practical terms, the carrier's Rhode Island lineup is the same count going into 2027 as it was in 2026. That does not mean the inside of any given plan is unchanged — premiums, cost-sharing, drug lists, provider networks, and extra benefits can be adjusted every year. Current members should still expect an Annual Notice of Change (ANOC) from the plan each fall explaining what is different for the coming year.

How do I check whether a Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island plan is offered in my county and covers my doctors and prescriptions?

To confirm a specific plan is offered in your Rhode Island county for 2027 and that it covers your doctors and medications, use the Medicare Plan Finder at medicare.gov, call 1-800-MEDICARE (TTY 1-877-486-2048), 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, or read the plan's own Evidence of Coverage and provider and pharmacy directories.

A short checklist that works for any carrier:

• Enter your ZIP code and county at medicare.gov to see which plans are actually offered where you live.
• Add your prescriptions by name and dose to see which plans list them on their formulary.
• Search each plan's provider directory for your primary care doctor, specialists, and preferred hospital.
• If you use a specific pharmacy, confirm it is in that plan's pharmacy network.
• If you qualify for both Medicare and Medicaid, ask specifically about the D-SNP (BlueRI for Duals).

This article does not list premiums, copays, deductibles, benefits, networks, or star ratings for any plan — those details change and should be read directly from the plan documents or the Plan Finder.

What should I do before December 7, 2026?

Before December 7, 2026, review your current coverage against the plans available in your county for 2027 and make any change through medicare.gov or 1-800-MEDICARE. Annual Enrollment 2027 runs October 15 through December 7, 2026, and a choice made in that window takes effect January 1, 2027.

A simple way to work through it:

1. Read the Annual Notice of Change from your current plan when it arrives in the fall. 2. List your doctors, hospitals, pharmacies, and prescriptions. 3. Compare the 2027 plans offered in your county on the Medicare Plan Finder. 4. If you want to make a change, enroll by December 7, 2026. 5. If you are satisfied with your current plan and it is still being offered in your county for 2027, you generally do not need to do anything.

There is no need to rush — the deadline is a fixed date, not a countdown.

Where can I get free help comparing Medicare Advantage plans in Rhode Island?

Free, unbiased help with Medicare Advantage questions in Rhode Island is available directly from Medicare. Call 1-800-MEDICARE (TTY 1-877-486-2048), available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, or use the Medicare Plan Finder and plan comparison tools at medicare.gov.

For questions about Medicare eligibility and enrollment, the Social Security Administration handles sign-up for Medicare Parts A and B. For plan-specific questions — what a plan covers, which providers are in network, what a drug costs under a particular formulary — the plan's own member services line and Evidence of Coverage are the authoritative sources.