Medicare Advantage

Before your plan letter arrives, know these Amarillo dates

Potter County has 44 Medicare Advantage plans for 2027. Compared with 2026, 15 plans are not coming back, 8 are new, and 25 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 Amarillo, not which plan to pick.

Medicare AdvantageAmarillo, TX

AMARILLO, Texas — If you have a Medicare Advantage plan in Amarillo, this fall's mailbox news matters more than usual. According to the CMS Medicare Advantage Landscape files for 2027, 15 plans offered in Potter County this year will not return next year, 8 new plans are joining the lineup, and 9 plans are being renamed. One carrier, Blue Cross Blue Shield (HCSC), will not offer Medicare Advantage plans in the county in 2027 at all.

That means some Amarillo residents will need to make a choice this Annual Enrollment Period — and a smaller group will get a special window to make one after the year starts.

What "leaving," "new" and "renamed" actually mean

Every fall, CMS publishes the plan landscape for the coming year. Comparing 2026 and 2027 for Potter County — the county Amarillo sits in — three things happen at once:

• Leaving: the plan will not be offered in 2027. You cannot stay on it.
• New: a plan is being offered here for the first time in 2027.
• Renamed: the plan is continuing, but under a new name. Your coverage carries forward — you don't need to do anything just because the name changed — but it's worth reading your Annual Notice of Change (ANOC) to see if anything else about the plan is different.

Beyond those three categories, 16 other plans in the county show a change in premium, deductible, plan type or name in the CMS file. We can't tell you here what changed or by how much — your ANOC, which arrives by late September, spells it out plan by plan.

Plans not returning to Potter County in 2027

Fifteen plans available in Potter County in 2026 will not be offered in 2027. In alphabetical order by carrier:

• Blue Cross Medicare Advantage Complete (PPO) — Blue Cross Blue Shield (HCSC)
• Blue Cross Medicare Advantage Dental Premier (PPO) — Blue Cross Blue Shield (HCSC)
• Blue Cross Medicare Advantage Dental Value (HMO) — Blue Cross Blue Shield (HCSC)
• Blue Cross Medicare Advantage Dual Care Plus (HMO D-SNP) — Blue Cross Blue Shield (HCSC)
• Blue Cross Medicare Advantage Health Choice (PPO) — Blue Cross Blue Shield (HCSC)
• Blue Cross Medicare Advantage Protect (PPO) — Blue Cross Blue Shield (HCSC)
• Blue Cross Medicare Advantage Saver (HMO) — Blue Cross Blue Shield (HCSC)
• Blue Cross Medicare Advantage Secure (HMO) — Blue Cross Blue Shield (HCSC)
• Wellcare Assist (HMO) — Centene (WellCare)
• Wellcare Dual Access (HMO D-SNP) — Centene (WellCare)
• Wellcare Dual Liberty (HMO D-SNP) — Centene (WellCare)
• Wellpoint Full Dual Advantage Aligned (HMO D-SNP) — Elevance Health (Anthem)
• Humana Gold Choice H8145-084 (PFFS) — Humana
• Humana USAA Honor Giveback (PPO) — Humana
• UHC Complete Care Support TX-1A (Regional PPO C-SNP) — UnitedHealthcare

Because Blue Cross Blue Shield (HCSC) is exiting the county's Medicare Advantage market, its members here are the largest group affected. If you're enrolled in any of the Blue Cross plans above, you'll need to either pick a different Medicare Advantage plan or move back to Original Medicare (and consider Part D and, if you're eligible, Medigap).

New plans in Potter County for 2027

Eight plans will be offered in the county for the first time in 2027:

• Aetna Medicare QMB Only Care (HMO D-SNP) — Aetna (CVS Health)
• Wellcare Superior HealthPlan Dual Reserve Value (HMO D-SNP) — Centene (WellCare)
• Wellpoint Dual Advantage (HMO D-SNP) — Elevance Health (Anthem)
• Wellpoint Dual Advantage Plus (HMO D-SNP) — Elevance Health (Anthem)
• Wellpoint Full Dual Advantage Aligned (HMO D-SNP) — Elevance Health (Anthem)
• Humana Together in Health (PPO I-SNP) — Humana
• AARP Medicare Advantage from UHC TX-62 (HMO-POS) — UnitedHealthcare
• UHC Complete Care TX-63 (HMO-POS C-SNP) — UnitedHealthcare

Most of the new options are Special Needs Plans (SNPs) — plans built for people who qualify because of dual Medicare and Medicaid eligibility, a chronic condition, or an institutional need. The table on this page shows every plan available in the county so you can see the full 2027 lineup side by side.

Plans being renamed

If you see a familiar-looking plan under a new name, don't be alarmed. Nine plans in the county are being renamed for 2027:

• Aetna Medicare Full Dual Care (HMO D-SNP) — previously Aetna Medicare Dual Care (HMO D-SNP)
• Aetna Medicare Full Dual Extra Care (HMO D-SNP) — previously Aetna Medicare Full Dual Care (HMO D-SNP)
• Aetna Medicare QMB Only Extra Care (HMO D-SNP) — previously Aetna Medicare Partial Dual Care (HMO D-SNP)
• Wellcare Superior HealthPlan Dual Liberty Sync (HMO D-SNP) — previously Wellcare Dual Liberty Sync (HMO D-SNP)
• Humana Essentials Plus Giveback (PPO) — previously Humana Essentials Plus Giveback H7617-035 (PPO)
• HumanaChoice Giveback H5216-358 (PPO) — previously Humana Essentials Plus Giveback H5216-358 (PPO)
• AARP Medicare Advantage from UHC TX-61 (Regional PPO) — previously UHC Medicare Advantage TX-0030 (Regional PPO)
• UHC Dual Advantage TX-V10 (HMO-POS D-SNP) — previously UHC Dual Complete TX-V010 (HMO-POS D-SNP)
• UHC Dual Complete TX-Q8 (HMO-POS D-SNP) — previously UHC Dual Complete TX-D007 (HMO-POS D-SNP)

A rename by itself is not a reason to switch. But two of the Aetna renames shift the name of an existing product onto a different plan, which can be confusing when you read your mail. Slow down and check the plan ID on your card against your ANOC.

What to do if your plan is leaving

If you're enrolled in one of the 15 plans not returning to Potter County, you have two enrollment windows to use:

• Annual Enrollment Period (Oct. 15 – Dec. 7). You can pick any Medicare Advantage plan available in the county for 2027, or switch to Original Medicare and add a stand-alone Part D drug plan. Coverage begins Jan. 1.
• Special Enrollment Period for non-renewed plans. When your plan is not renewed, Medicare gives you a Special Enrollment Period that runs through the end of February. You can use it to switch to another Medicare Advantage plan, or move to Original Medicare and add a Part D plan.

If you take no action and your plan is leaving, you'll generally be returned to Original Medicare on Jan. 1 — which covers hospital and medical care but not prescription drugs. That's why doing nothing is rarely the best choice for someone whose pl