Medicare Advantage

Your Nashville Medicare homework before Dec. 7: a 2027 plan review in six steps

Davidson County has 69 Medicare Advantage plans for 2027. Compared with 2026, 14 plans are not coming back, 9 are new, and 30 continuing plans changed in some way you should check before December 7, 9 of them under a new name. This guide covers what those numbers mean for Nashville, not which plan to pick.

NASHVILLE — The envelope that lands in Nashville mailboxes each fall is easy to set aside. Don't. The Annual Notice of Change, or ANOC, is your plan telling you — in writing — what will be different about your Medicare Advantage or Part D drug plan on Jan. 1, 2027. You have until Dec. 7, 2026 to act on what you read.

The Annual Enrollment Period runs Oct. 15 through Dec. 7, 2026. If you do nothing, your current plan simply renews with the changes listed in that notice. If something no longer fits — a doctor leaving the network, a drug moving tiers, a hospital you count on — this is the window to switch.

Step 1: Read the Annual Notice of Change

Your plan mailed (or emailed) the ANOC in late September. It is a side-by-side of what changed from 2026 to 2027 — premium, deductible, copays, drug tiers, extra benefits like dental or over-the-counter allowances, and the maximum out-of-pocket limit. Skim it with a pen. Circle anything that looks different from what you pay or use now.

The longer document behind the ANOC is the Evidence of Coverage. That is the full rulebook for 2027. Keep it for reference.

Step 2: Check that your doctors and hospitals are still in network

Networks shift every year. Before Dec. 7:

• Pull up your plan's 2027 provider directory (on the carrier's website, dated for next year).
• Search each primary care doctor, specialist and hospital you use by name.
• If you can't tell, call the provider's office and ask directly: "Will you be in network for my plan in 2027?"

For HMO plans, out-of-network care is generally not covered except in emergencies. PPO plans allow out-of-network care, usually at a higher cost. If a key doctor or hospital is leaving, that alone can be a reason to switch.

Step 3: Run your prescriptions through the 2027 formulary

Drug lists change every year — tiers move, prior authorization gets added, a drug drops off. The easiest way to check is the Medicare Plan Finder at medicare.gov. Enter your ZIP code, list your medications and your pharmacy, and the tool will show how each plan available in Davidson County would cover them next year.

Two confirmed 2027 Part D numbers worth knowing: the out-of-pocket cap is $2,400 (up from $2,100 in 2026), and the maximum deductible a plan can charge is $700 (up from $615 in 2026). The coverage gap is gone — Part D has three phases now. If your drug costs are heavy, ask about the Medicare Prescription Payment Plan, which spreads what you owe at the pharmacy counter across the calendar year.

Step 4: Look at the full Davidson County lineup

Nashville is in Davidson County, where CMS lists 74 Medicare Advantage plans for 2026 from 13 carriers: Abilis Health, Aetna (CVS Health), American Health Advantage of Tennessee, Blue Cross Blue Shield (HCSC), BlueCare Plus Tennessee, BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee, Centene (WellCare), Devoted Health, Elevance Health (Anthem), Humana, NHC Advantage, UnitedHealthcare and Zing Health. The breakdown is 30 HMO, 18 HMO-POS and 26 PPO plans; 30 are Special Needs Plans for people with specific conditions, dual Medicaid eligibility, or who live in institutional settings. The table below lists every plan.

The 2027 county lineup posts on Medicare.gov in October. The county-level count is what matters — plan availability is set by county, not city.

Step 5: Mind the pieces CMS hasn't published yet

Two 2027 figures are not out yet: the Part B standard premium and deductible, and the IRMAA income brackets that trigger a higher Part B or Part D premium for higher-income enrollees. CMS typically releases those in November. For 2026, IRMAA kicks in above $109,000 in income for a single filer. Check medicare.gov in November for the 2027 numbers before you lock in a decision.

Step 6: Decide, then act before Dec. 7

Once you've compared the ANOC, your providers and your drugs:

• If your current plan still fits, you don't have to do anything. It renews Jan. 1, 2027.
• If you want to change plans, enroll by Dec. 7, 2026 at medicare.gov, by calling 1-800-MEDICARE, or directly with the plan.
• If you are already in a Medicare Advantage plan and want to switch again, the Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period (Jan. 1 – Mar. 31, 2027) gives you one more chance to move to a different Advantage plan or back to Original Medicare.

Avoid the two most common Nashville mistakes: assuming the plan a friend likes will work for your doctors, and waiting until the first week of December when phone lines are busiest.