Medicare Advantage

Tarrant County Medicare plan counts, Arlington TX

People in Arlington can choose from 83 Medicare Advantage plans for 2027, against 89 this year. 28 of this year’s plans are gone, 22 are new to Tarrant County, and 32 that continue have changed their premium, deductible, plan type or name, 10 of them under a new name.

ARLINGTON, Texas — If you live in Arlington and are looking at your Medicare choices for 2027, it helps to know that plan availability isn't set city by city. It's set county by county. Arlington sits inside Tarrant County, and that's the number that matters when you shop.

A Snapshot of What's Available Near Arlington in 2027

But Arlington is also part of the larger Dallas–Fort Worth metro, and neighbors just across a county line may see a different lineup. Here's a plain-language look at how availability stacks up near home — using area-level counts only, not specific plan details.

Arlington Is in Tarrant County — Start There

According to the 2026 CMS Medicare Advantage and Part D Landscape files, Tarrant County has 89 Medicare Advantage plans available for the coming year. Twelve carriers offer Medicare Advantage prescription drug (MA-PD) plans in the area.

That's a wide field. For context, Tarrant County is home to about 266,889 people age 65 and older, so plan choice tends to be robust here compared with more rural parts of Texas.

One thing to note alongside the Advantage data: Texas has 10 stand-alone Part D plans for 2027, sold statewide, so anyone in Tarrant County with Original Medicare can join any of them. If you use Original Medicare and want drug coverage, this is a good year to double-check what's offered in your ZIP code on Medicare.gov before December 7.

How Nearby Counties Compare

Because plan availability is a county-level decision by insurers, your options can shift as you cross into a neighboring area. Readers who live near county lines — or who are helping a parent in another part of the metro — should know their county sets the menu.

Nearby counties across the Dallas–Fort Worth area include Dallas, Denton, Collin, Johnson, Parker, Ellis, and Rockwall. Each has its own count of Medicare Advantage plans, its own set of participating carriers, and its own provider networks. Two family members living 20 miles apart may see very different lineups.

The takeaway: don't assume a plan a friend likes in Dallas County is even sold in Tarrant County, or vice versa. Always confirm by ZIP code.

What "Star Ratings" Mean (and Don't Mean)

Medicare rates contracts on a 1-to-5 star scale for quality and member experience. Under CMS's 2027 Star Ratings, 11 of the 25 rated contracts offering Medicare Advantage plans in Tarrant County, Texas (out of 28 contracts in the CY2027 Landscape file) are rated 4 stars or higher at the contract level. Ratings can change year to year, and a contract can cover plans across many states, so a rating isn't a personal recommendation. Think of it as one data point among several — network, drug coverage, and total costs still matter most for your situation.

Key 2027 Numbers Every Arlington Reader Should Know

These are program-wide facts set by Medicare, not by any single plan:

• Part D out-of-pocket cap: $2,100 in 2026 and $2,400 in 2027. Once your covered drug spending hits that ceiling, you pay nothing for covered drugs the rest of the year.
• Part D maximum deductible: $615 in 2026 and $700 in 2027.
• The coverage gap ("donut hole") is gone as of 2025. Part D now has three phases instead of four.
• Medicare Prescription Payment Plan: You can choose to spread your drug costs across monthly payments instead of paying at the pharmacy counter.
• IRMAA surcharges for higher-income enrollees start above $109,000 for a single filer in 2026.

Important Dates

• 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 to switch to another MA plan or return to Original Medicare.