Medicare Advantage

Medicare Plan Availability Across Austin for 2027

People in Austin can choose from 56 Medicare Advantage plans for 2027, against 60 this year. 15 of this year’s plans are gone, 11 are new to Travis County, and 21 that continue have changed their premium, deductible, plan type or name, 8 of them under a new name.

AUSTIN, Texas — If you're turning 65 soon or already on Medicare, one of the first questions you probably have is a simple one: how many plan choices will I actually have where I live? For 2027, the answer in the Austin metro depends on which county you call home — because Medicare plan availability is set county by county, not city by city.

A Snapshot of What's Available Around Austin for 2027

Austin sits in Travis County, but the metro also stretches into Williamson, Hays, Bastrop, Caldwell, and beyond. Each of those counties has its own set of Medicare Advantage and prescription drug plan offerings. Here's what that landscape looks like heading into the 2027 plan year.

Why County Lines Matter for Medicare

Medicare Advantage (Part C) and stand-alone Part D drug plans are approved and priced at the county level. That means two neighbors living just a few miles apart — but on opposite sides of a county line — could see different plan menus, different networks, and different pharmacy options.

So when you shop, your ZIP code is the key. The Medicare Plan Finder at medicare.gov uses it to pull the exact set of plans available at your address.

What Travis County Looks Like for 2027

In Travis County, where the city of Austin is located, Medicare beneficiaries have a wide range of Medicare Advantage options to consider. According to CMS Landscape data:

• 60 Medicare Advantage plans are available in the county for 2026.
• 8 carriers are offering Medicare Advantage plans that include prescription drug coverage (MA-PD).
• The 65-and-older population in Travis County is about 146,405, one of the largest in Central Texas.

A quick note on stand-alone Part D: Texas has 12 stand-alone Part D plans for 2026, sold statewide, so anyone in Travis County on Original Medicare can join one of them, and most Medicare Advantage plans in the area already include drug coverage. If you're on Original Medicare and need a stand-alone drug plan, use the Plan Finder at medicare.gov to see every Part D plan approved for your ZIP code.

How the Surrounding Metro Compares

Plan counts can shift a bit as you move outward from Austin. Neighboring counties like Williamson (Round Rock, Georgetown, Cedar Park), Hays (San Marcos, Kyle, Buda), Bastrop, and Caldwell each have their own approved plan lists. In general, the more populated counties in the Austin metro tend to see robust Medicare Advantage participation from national and regional carriers, while smaller outlying counties may have a narrower — but still meaningful — set of choices.

The takeaway: if you live in the Austin metro but not in the city itself, don't assume the Travis County numbers apply to you. Check your own county.

Program-Wide Changes to Know for 2027

No matter which county you're in, some Medicare rules are the same across the country. A few that matter for 2027:

• Part D out-of-pocket cap: $2,100 in 2026 and $2,400 in 2027. Once your drug spending hits that amount, 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: an optional program that lets you spread your drug costs across the year in monthly installments instead of paying big amounts at the pharmacy counter.
• IRMAA surcharges (extra premiums for higher earners) begin above $109,000 in income for a single filer in 2026.

Key Dates to Circle

• Annual Enrollment Period: October 15 – December 7, 2026. This is when most people compare and change plans for 2027.
• Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment: January 1 – March 31. If you're already in a Medicare Advantage plan and want to switch to another MA plan or back to Original Medicare, this is your window.