Medicare Advantage

Knoxville Medicare Advantage: 2027 totals

Knox County has 64 Medicare Advantage plans for 2027. Compared with 2026, 14 plans are not coming back, 19 are new, and 15 continuing plans changed in some way you should check before December 7, 4 of them under a new name. This guide covers what those numbers mean for Knoxville, not which plan to pick.

KNOXVILLE — If you're turning 65 soon, or you already have Medicare and want to look at what's new for next year, here's the big picture: you have a lot of options to sort through.

Knoxville seniors have plenty of Medicare choices for 2027

Knoxville is in Knox County, where 60 Medicare Advantage plans are being offered for 2027, according to CMS Medicare Plan Finder data. Those plans come from 11 different carriers offering Medicare Advantage with prescription drug coverage.

That's a healthy menu — and a lot to compare. This guide walks through how to think about the counts, not the specific benefits, so you can go into Plan Finder with a clearer head.

What the numbers actually mean

The 59 figure is the count of Medicare Advantage plans available to people who live in Knox County. It does not mean each person is eligible for every plan, and it does not tell you what any single plan covers. It's simply the size of the shelf.

A few things worth knowing about how the shelf is stocked:

• 9 carriers are offering Medicare Advantage plans with drug coverage in the county. Some carriers offer several plan variations, which is why the plan count is much higher than the carrier count.
• Stand-alone Part D drug plans are counted separately from Medicare Advantage. Those numbers are set regionally rather than county-by-county, so if you're on Original Medicare and want drug coverage, you'll see Part D plans listed on Medicare.gov when you enter your ZIP code.
• Star Ratings are CMS's quality measure for plans, on a 1-to-5 scale. They're one input among many — not a ranking of "best" plans for you personally.

How to narrow 59 options down to a short list

Nobody actually compares 59 plans. Here's a sensible way to shrink the list:

1. Start with your doctors and hospitals. If you have providers you want to keep, check each plan's network before anything else. That alone will eliminate many options. 2. List your prescriptions. Enter them into Medicare.gov's Plan Finder. The tool will estimate your yearly drug costs under each plan's formulary. 3. Think about how you use care. If you travel often or split time between states, network rules matter more. If you rarely leave Knoxville, a local network may fit fine. 4. Consider Original Medicare + a Medigap + a Part D plan as an alternative path. It's a different structure, not better or worse — just different tradeoffs.

2027 program facts worth knowing

These apply nationwide, not to any one plan:

• The Part D out-of-pocket cap is $2,100 for 2026. Once your out-of-pocket spending on covered drugs hits that amount, you pay $0 for covered drugs the rest of the year.
• The Part D deductible can be no higher than $700 in 2027 (it was $615 in 2026).
• The old "donut hole" coverage gap was eliminated in 2025. Part D now has three phases instead of four.
• The Medicare Prescription Payment Plan is an optional program that lets you spread your drug costs into monthly payments across the year instead of paying at the pharmacy counter.
• IRMAA — the income-related surcharge on Part B and Part D premiums — starts above $109,000 in income for a single filer in 2026.

Key dates for Knox County residents

• Annual Enrollment Period: October 15 – December 7, 2026. This is when most people compare and switch plans for 2027 coverage.
• Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment: January 1 – March 31. If you're already in a Medicare Advantage plan, you get one chance during these months to switch to another Advantage plan or return to Original Medicare.
• Initial Enrollment Period. If you're new to Medicare, this is the seven-month window around your 65th birthday.

Where to get free, unbiased help in Knoxville

Tennessee has a SHIP program called TN SHIP (Tennessee State Health Insurance Assistance Program). SHIP counselors are trained volunteers who don't sell insurance and don't earn commissions. They can sit down with you, look at your prescriptions and doctors, and walk through Plan Finder with you at no cost.

You can also call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227), available 24/7, or use the plan comparison tool at Medicare.gov.