Medicare Advantage

Picking a Memphis Medicare Advantage plan for 2027? Start with the plan type

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, Tenn. — If you are weighing a Medicare Advantage plan in Memphis for next year, the first fork in the road is not the carrier or the extras. It is the plan type. HMO, HMO-POS, PPO and PFFS each set different rules for which doctors you can see, whether you need a referral, and what happens if you need care outside the network. The Annual Enrollment Period runs October 15 through December 7, 2026, and any change you make takes effect January 1, 2027.

Memphis is in Shelby County, where CMS lists 74 Medicare Advantage plans from 11 carriers for 2027. By plan type, that splits into 29 HMO plans, 14 HMO-POS plans and 31 PPO plans. No PFFS plans are offered in the county for 2027, but it helps to know what one is in case you compare notes with family in another state.

What each plan type actually means

HMO (Health Maintenance Organization). You pick a primary care doctor and generally use the plan's network. Out-of-network care usually is not covered except for emergencies. Many HMOs ask you to get a referral before seeing a specialist. If your doctors are already in the network and you do not travel often, the trade-off can feel natural.

HMO-POS (Point of Service). A hybrid. It works like an HMO, but adds a "point of service" option that lets you go outside the network for certain services, typically at a higher cost. The specifics vary a lot plan to plan — the plan's Evidence of Coverage spells out which services qualify.

PPO (Preferred Provider Organization). You can see any provider who accepts Medicare and the plan's terms, in or out of network. In-network care costs less; out-of-network care is still covered but at a higher share. Referrals are usually not required. PPOs can be a fit if you split time between cities or want flexibility with specialists.

PFFS (Private Fee-for-Service). Not offered in Shelby County for 2027. Where it exists, a PFFS plan pays providers a set amount, and any Medicare provider who agrees to the plan's terms can treat you. Referrals are generally not required.

How Shelby County's 2027 plans split

For 2027, CMS data shows the Shelby County lineup leans toward PPO and HMO, with a smaller group of HMO-POS plans. If you count HMO and HMO-POS together as "network-first" designs, that comes to 43 of the 74 plans; the other 31 are PPOs.

Carriers offering HMO plans in the county for 2027: Abilis Health (HMO SNP), Aetna (CVS Health), American Health Advantage of Tennessee, BlueCare Plus Tennessee, Devoted Health, Elevance Health (Anthem), HealthSpring, Humana and Zing Health.

Carriers offering HMO-POS plans for 2027: Elevance Health (Anthem), HealthSpring and UnitedHealthcare.

Carriers offering PPO plans for 2027: Aetna (CVS Health), BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee, Devoted Health, HealthSpring, Humana, UnitedHealthcare and Zing Health.

The table below lists every plan available in the county, with its type, so you can see which carriers overlap across formats.

How to decide which type fits you

Start with your doctors, not the brochure. On the Medicare Plan Finder at medicare.gov, you can enter each doctor and pharmacy and see which plans include them. If your preferred specialist is in-network across several HMOs, an HMO may be fine. If one key provider is only reachable out-of-network, a PPO's out-of-network benefit may matter more.

Then think about how often you travel or stay with family in another state. Routine care outside Tennessee is generally not covered by an HMO (emergencies are). A PPO gives you more room, though you will usually pay more out-of-network.

Finally, consider referrals. If you want to call a specialist directly, an HMO's referral rule may feel like friction. Some HMO-POS and most PPO plans skip that step.

What is new and what is leaving for 2027

In Shelby County, 12 plans are new for 2027, 11 are not returning, and 7 have been renamed. If your current plan is one of them, your carrier will send an Annual Notice of Change this fall with the details — including any shifts to the network, drug list or cost shares. Reading that notice is the single most useful thing you can do before December 7.

A few program-level numbers hold true no matter which plan type you choose. The Part D out-of-pocket cap rises to $2,400 in 2027 (from $2,100 in 2026), and the maximum Part D deductible a plan can charge rises to $700 (from $615 in 2026). The 2027 Part B premium and deductible, and the 2027 IRMAA brackets, will be announced by CMS later this fall.