Medicare Advantage

Providence County Medicare Advantage: 2027

For 2027, Providence is looking at 22 Medicare Advantage plans: 0 new, 1 gone since 2026, and 12 still here but changed on premium, deductible, plan type or name, 4 of them under a new name. Below, how the lineup shifted in Providence County and what to compare, with no plan ranked or recommended.

PROVIDENCE, R.I. — If you're turning 65 in Rhode Island's capital, or just rethinking your coverage, here's the short version: you have real choices. Providence sits in Providence County, where 18 Medicare Advantage plans are available for 2027, according to the CMS Medicare Plan Finder and the annual MA/Part D Landscape data.

Providence Has a Full Slate of Medicare Choices for 2027

That number matters. It's not about which plan is "best" — that's a personal call — but about how much room you have to compare before Annual Enrollment closes on December 7.

What the Local Numbers Look Like

Here's a snapshot of what's on the shelf in Providence County for 2027:

• 18 Medicare Advantage plans available
• 4 carriers offering Medicare Advantage with prescription drug coverage (MA-PD)
• 0 stand-alone Part D drug plans listed at the county level in the current Landscape file
• 108,512 residents age 65+ in Providence County

If the stand-alone Part D number looks surprising, remember that Rhode Islanders shopping for drug-only coverage should still check medicare.gov directly using their ZIP code and medication list — Plan Finder is the authoritative source, and offerings can shift year to year.

Why 23 Plans Isn't Overwhelming — If You Slow Down

Twenty-three sounds like a lot. But most people can narrow the field quickly by asking three questions:

1. Do my doctors and hospitals take the plan? 2. Are my prescriptions covered, and at what tier? 3. Does the plan work where I travel or spend part of the year?

Once you filter by those, the list usually shrinks to a handful worth a closer look.

Star Ratings: What They Are (and Aren't)

CMS gives each Medicare Advantage and Part D contract a Star Rating from 1 to 5, based on things like customer service, member complaints, and how well the plan manages chronic conditions. In Providence County's current data, no contracts serving the area carry a 4-star or higher rating heading into 2027.

That doesn't automatically mean plans here are poor — ratings are contract-wide, cover multiple states in some cases, and can move each year. It just means Star Ratings alone shouldn't be your deciding factor. Use them as one input among several.

The 2027 Rules Everyone Should Know

Whether you pick Original Medicare with a Part D plan, or a Medicare Advantage plan that bundles drug coverage, some program-wide numbers apply everywhere in the country for 2027:

• $2,100 in 2026 ($2,400 in 2027) — the new annual out-of-pocket cap for Part D prescription costs.
• $615 in 2026 ($700 in 2027) — the maximum allowable Part D deductible.
• Three phases in Part D, now that the old "donut hole" coverage gap has been eliminated (as of 2025).
• Medicare Prescription Payment Plan — an optional way to spread drug costs into level monthly bills instead of paying big amounts at the pharmacy counter.
• IRMAA — higher-income surcharges start above $109,000 for single filers in 2026.

These are federal figures, not plan-specific, so they apply no matter which of the 18 local options you consider.

Key Dates for Providence Residents

• October 15 – December 7: Annual Enrollment Period. You can join, switch, or drop a Medicare Advantage or Part D plan.
• January 1 – March 31: Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment. If you're already in an MA plan, you get one chance to switch to a different MA plan or return to Original Medicare.

Missing these windows usually means waiting a full year, unless you qualify for a Special Enrollment Period (a move, loss of other coverage, etc.).