Medicare Advantage

Compare 22 Rhode Island Medicare Advantage Plans for 2027 From 4 Carriers

PROVIDENCE — Rhode Islanders on Medicare have a defined window to look at their 2027 coverage: Annual Enrollment 2027 runs October 15 through December 7, 2026, and any choice made during that window takes effect January 1, 2027. According to the CMS Medicare Advantage Landscape Source File for CY2027, 22 Medicare Advantage plans are offered somewhere in Rhode Island next year, spread across 4 carriers. Those plans are listed in the tables on this page; what follows is how to read them for your own county.

How many Medicare Advantage plans are offered in Rhode Island for 2027?

Rhode Island has 22 Medicare Advantage plans for 2027, offered by 4 carriers, according to the CMS MA Landscape Source File for CY2027. Compared with 2026, 0 plans are new for 2027 and 1 plan is not returning. Of the 22, 19 include built-in Part D prescription drug coverage; the remaining plans do not, which matters if you take regular medications and are not enrolled in a separate drug plan.

Each plan is counted once statewide in these totals. Because Medicare Advantage is sold county by county, the number of plans actually available in Providence, Kent, Washington, Newport or Bristol County will be smaller than 22. The Medicare Plan Finder at medicare.gov filters the list by ZIP code so you only see what you can actually enroll in.

What types of Medicare Advantage and Special Needs Plans are available in Rhode Island for 2027?

Rhode Island's 22 plans for 2027 break down by type into 4 HMO plans, 12 HMO-POS plans and 6 PPO plans, per the CMS Landscape file. HMO plans generally expect you to use an in-network provider and get referrals; HMO-POS plans add a point-of-service option for certain out-of-network care; PPO plans typically let you see out-of-network providers at a different cost share. The specific rules live in each plan's Evidence of Coverage.

Nine of the 22 are Special Needs Plans: 7 D-SNPs for people with both Medicare and Medicaid, 1 C-SNP for people with a qualifying chronic condition, and 1 I-SNP for people living in or needing an institutional level of care. SNPs have eligibility rules beyond age and ZIP code, so confirm you qualify before comparing.

Which carriers offer Medicare Advantage plans in Rhode Island for 2027?

Four carriers offer Medicare Advantage in Rhode Island for 2027: Aetna (CVS Health), Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island, Neighborhood Health Plan of Rhode Island, and UnitedHealthcare. In alphabetical order, Aetna (CVS Health) offers 4 plans (HMO-POS, PPO); Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island offers 6 plans (HMO, HMO-POS), including 1 D-SNP; Neighborhood Health Plan of Rhode Island offers 2 plans (HMO) plus 2 D-SNPs; and UnitedHealthcare offers 10 plans (HMO-POS, PPO), including 4 D-SNPs.

Carrier plan counts above are statewide. The tables on this page show each plan by name; use those as your starting list, then narrow by county in the Medicare Plan Finder.

How do I compare Medicare Advantage plans in my own Rhode Island county for 2027?

Start at medicare.gov, enter your ZIP code, and let the Medicare Plan Finder show only the 2027 plans sold in your county. From there, work through the same checklist for each plan you are considering:

1. Doctors: look up each primary care doctor and specialist in the plan's online provider directory, and call the office to confirm they will accept that plan in 2027. 2. Hospitals: confirm the hospital system you use (for many Rhode Islanders that includes Lifespan, Care New England or South County Health facilities) is in-network under the specific plan, not just the carrier. 3. Prescriptions: enter every medication, dose and frequency into the Plan Finder so it can show the plan's formulary tier and cost share for your drugs. 4. Pharmacies: check whether your regular pharmacy — chain or independent — is a preferred, standard or out-of-network pharmacy on that plan. 5. Annual Notice of Change (ANOC): if you already have a Medicare Advantage or Part D plan, read the ANOC your plan mailed in September. It spells out what is changing for 2027. 6. Evidence of Coverage: for the fine print on rules, referrals and appeals, open the plan's EOC on the carrier's website.

Do this for two or three plans side by side rather than trying to rank the full list.

What should I do in Rhode Island before December 7, 2026?

Before December 7, 2026, confirm that the plan you want for 2027 — whether that is keeping your current coverage or changing — actually fits your doctors, hospitals, drugs and pharmacy. Annual Enrollment 2027 runs October 15 through December 7, 2026, and the plan you choose starts January 1, 2027.

A short checklist:

• Read your ANOC and compare 2026 to 2027 for the plan you have now.
• Make a current list of doctors, hospitals, prescriptions and your pharmacy.
• Run that list through the Medicare Plan Finder at medicare.gov.
• If you qualify for a D-SNP, C-SNP or I-SNP, check those separately — eligibility matters.
• Submit your enrollment through medicare.gov or the carrier by December 7, 2026.

If you take no action and your current plan is returning for 2027, you generally stay enrolled under its 2027 terms.

Where can Rhode Islanders get free help comparing 2027 Medicare Advantage plans?

Rhode Islanders can get free, around-the-clock help from Medicare directly at 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227), TTY 1-877-486-2048. The Medicare Plan Finder at medicare.gov is the official place to see which of the state's 22 plans are available in your ZIP code for 2027, with your drug list applied.

For plan-specific questions — a provider, a formulary tier, a prior authorization rule — call the carrier using the number on the plan's materials or on its website. The tables on this page name each 2027 plan and carrier so you know what to ask about.