Medicare Advantage

Before You Enroll: Cameron County's 2026 MA Choices

Cameron County has 59 Medicare Advantage plans for 2027. Compared with 2026, 22 plans are not coming back, 14 are new, and 18 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 Brownsville, not which plan to pick.

Medicare AdvantageBrownsville, TX

Brownsville shoppers comparing Medicare Advantage for 2027 have a menu to sort through. Because plan availability is set at the county level, the full list below reflects what's offered in Cameron County, where Brownsville sits — 59 Medicare Advantage plans from nine carriers, according to the CMS Medicare Advantage Landscape Source File for the 2027 plan year. The table on this page shows every plan by carrier, its plan type, and whether it includes drug coverage. Use this article to make sense of the list, not to pick a plan sight unseen.

What's on the Brownsville menu for 2027

The 2027 lineup in Cameron County includes 59 Medicare Advantage plans from 9 carriers. Check each plan's record to see whether Part D drug coverage is built in or whether a stand-alone Part D plan would be needed alongside it.

Twenty-nine of these are Special Needs Plans. SNPs are limited to people who meet specific conditions — most commonly, D-SNPs for people who have both Medicare and Medicaid, C-SNPs for people with certain chronic conditions like diabetes or heart disease, and I-SNPs for people who live in or need the level of care provided in an institution.

The nine carriers in Cameron County

Here are the carriers offering Medicare Advantage in the county, in alphabetical order, with how many plans each one has on the shelf:

• Aetna (CVS Health): 7 plans (HMO, PPO; 3 SNPs)
• Blue Cross Blue Shield (HCSC): 13 plans (HMO, PPO; 3 SNPs)
• Centene (WellCare): 7 plans (HMO, PPO; 3 SNPs)
• Elevance Health (Anthem): 1 plan (HMO; 1 SNP)
• Humana: 23 plans (HMO, PFFS, PPO; 6 SNPs)
• Molina Healthcare of Texas, Inc.: 1 plan (HMO; 1 SNP)
• Prominence Health Plan: 7 plans (HMO; 3 SNPs)
• Texas Independence Health Plan: 2 plans (HMO; 2 SNPs)
• UnitedHealthcare: 15 plans (HMO-POS, PPO; 7 SNPs)

The table below lists every plan under each carrier, with its plan type and drug-coverage status.

How the plan types differ

Plan type shapes how you use your coverage more than any brand name does.

HMO plans generally ask you to use doctors and hospitals in the plan's network, and you usually need a referral to see a specialist. Locally, HMO is the most common type — Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Centene, Elevance, Humana, Molina, Prominence and Texas Independence all offer HMOs.

HMO-POS (Point of Service) is an HMO with a limited option to see certain out-of-network providers, usually at a higher cost. In Cameron County, UnitedHealthcare's AARP-branded plans use this format.

PPO plans let you see out-of-network providers, typically at a higher cost, and often don't require referrals. Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Centene, Humana and UnitedHealthcare all offer PPOs here.

PFFS (Private Fee-for-Service) plans let you see any Medicare-approved provider willing to accept the plan's payment terms. Humana offers two PFFS plans in the county.

How to actually decide

Because we can't quote premiums, copays, drug lists or networks here, the practical work is this:

1. Confirm your doctors and hospitals. Call the plan or use its online provider search to make sure the people you see are in-network. 2. Check your medications. On medicare.gov's Plan Finder, enter your prescriptions and pharmacy. The Finder will show each plan's drug list and estimated yearly cost. 3. Look at total cost, not just premium. Deductibles, copays and the Part D structure all matter. The Part D out-of-pocket cap is $2,100 in 2026 and $2,400 in 2027. The Part D maximum deductible is $615 in 2026 and $700 in 2027. The old "donut hole" is gone — there are now three payment phases. If drug costs hit hard early in the year, ask about the Medicare Prescription Payment Plan, which spreads them across monthly payments. 4. See if you qualify for an SNP. If you have Medicaid or a qualifying chronic condition, D-SNPs and C-SNPs may be built for your situation. Eligibility rules apply. 5. Note the deadlines. Annual Enrollment runs October 15 – December 7. If you're already in Medicare Advantage, you get one more window January 1 – March 31 to switch plans or return to Original Medicare.

A note on star ratings and income

CMS publishes Star Ratings for Medicare Advantage contracts, based on member experience, care quality and customer service. They can be a useful data point, but they're only one part of the picture — a plan that scores well overall may still not cover your doctor or your drug.

For higher earners, Medicare's income-related adjustment (IRMAA) begins above $109,000 for a single filer in 2026, which raises Part B and Part D premiums regardless of which plan you pick.