Medicare Advantage

Before Dec. 7: a Memphis guide to 74 MA plans

For 2027, Memphis is looking at 74 Medicare Advantage plans: 12 new, 11 gone since 2026, and 30 still here but changed on premium, deductible, plan type or name, 7 of them under a new name. Below, how the lineup shifted in Shelby County and what to compare, with no plan ranked or recommended.

MEMPHIS — The window to compare 2027 Medicare Advantage plans is open now and closes December 7, 2026. Whatever you choose during these weeks takes effect January 1, 2027. If you do nothing, your current plan renews for next year — with any changes spelled out in its Annual Notice of Change (ANOC).

Memphis is in Shelby County, where CMS lists 74 Medicare Advantage plans from 11 carriers for 2027. That's a slightly different lineup than the 73 plans from 12 carriers available in 2026, and the mix of plan types has shifted too. Here is a plain, careful way to compare what's on the table before the deadline.

What Shelby County's 2027 lineup looks like

For plan year 2027, CMS lists the following in Shelby County:

• 74 Medicare Advantage plans from 11 carriers
• By type: 29 HMO, 14 HMO-POS, 31 PPO
• Special Needs Plans (SNPs): 12 D-SNP, 15 C-SNP, 5 I-SNP
• All 74 plans include drug coverage
• 12 plans are new for 2027; 11 plans are not returning; some have been renamed

Compared with 2026, that's one more plan overall but one fewer carrier. PPO offerings grew; HMO-POS offerings got smaller. The table below lists every plan by carrier.

The 11 carriers offering plans in Shelby County for 2027 (in alphabetical order) are: Abilis Health, Aetna (CVS Health), American Health Advantage of Tennessee, Blue Cross Blue Shield (HCSC), BlueCare Plus Tennessee, BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee, Devoted Health, Elevance Health (Anthem), Humana, UnitedHealthcare, and Zing Health.

Plan types and Special Needs Plans, briefly

• HMO plans use a defined network and usually require a primary care doctor and referrals.
• HMO-POS plans are HMOs that let you go out of network for certain services, usually at a higher cost.
• PPO plans give you in- and out-of-network coverage, typically with different cost shares.
• SNPs are built for specific groups:

- D-SNPs serve people who have both Medicare and Medicaid. - C-SNPs serve people with certain chronic conditions (in Shelby County, several focus on diabetes and heart conditions). - I-SNPs serve people who live in — or need the level of care provided in — long-term care settings.

You can only enroll in an SNP if you meet its eligibility rules.

What's new for 2027 at the program level

A few program-wide changes also matter when you compare drug coverage:

• The Part D out-of-pocket cap rises to $2,400 in 2027 (it is $2,100 in 2026).
• The Part D maximum deductible is $700 in 2027 (it is $615 in 2026).
• The coverage gap is gone — Part D now has three phases.
• The Medicare Prescription Payment Plan is still available to spread drug costs across the year in monthly bills.
• The 2027 Part B premium, Part B deductible, and IRMAA income brackets have not yet been announced. CMS typically publishes them in the fall, usually in November.

A step-by-step way to compare plans before Dec. 7

1. Read your Annual Notice of Change (ANOC)

Your current plan mailed its ANOC in September. It shows side-by-side what is changing for 2027: premium, deductible, drug tiers, copays, the maximum out-of-pocket amount, and sometimes network and extra benefits. If your plan is one of the 11 not returning in Shelby County, the letter will say so and tell you your options.

2. List your doctors and hospitals

Write down every provider you want to keep seeing — primary care, specialists, your preferred hospital. For each plan you're considering, check that provider in the plan's online directory. Networks can change year to year, even if the plan name stays the same.

3. List your prescriptions, exactly

Write every medication, strength and dose. Then use the Medicare Plan Finder at medicare.gov to enter them. Plan Finder will show how each plan covers each drug, which tier it sits in, and your estimated yearly drug cost.

4. Check your pharmacy

Plans have "preferred" and "standard" pharmacies, and your cost can be different at each. Confirm your regular pharmacy — or a nearby one — is preferred in any plan you're considering. Mail order may be an option too.

5. Compare total cost, not just the premium

A low or zero premium doesn't mean low total cost. Look at the deductible, copays for the services you actually use, and the plan's annual maximum out-of-pocket limit for medical care. For drugs, use Plan Finder's full-year estimate.

6. Confirm the plan type fits how you use care

If you travel often or split time between states, how a plan handles out-of-network care matters. If you want flexibility without referrals, an HMO may feel restrictive. If you qualify for an SNP, those plans are built around your situation.

7. Enroll — or stay — by Dec. 7

If you're keeping your current plan and the ANOC changes work for you, you don't need to do anything. If you want to switch, you can enroll on medicare.gov, by calling 1-800-MEDICARE, or directly with the plan.

If your plan is leaving in 2027

With 11 plans not returning in Shelby County for 2027, some Memphis residents will get a non-renewal letter. If that's you, you have a Special Enrollment Period to pick a new Medicare Advantage or Part D plan, and you can also return to Original Medicare. The letter from your plan explains your window and your choices. Don't wait on it — your current coverage ends December 31.