Medicare Advantage

Aetna's Medicare Advantage plans in El Paso for 2027: two new, four renamed

EL PASO, Texas — As the Annual Enrollment Period runs from October 15 to December 7, 2026, Aetna is bringing nine Medicare Advantage plans to El Paso County for 2027, including two brand-new plans and four that are returning under new names. Every Aetna plan sold here next year includes drug coverage, and the lineup mixes HMO, PPO, Dual-Eligible Special Needs (D-SNP) and, new this year, a Chronic Condition Special Needs Plan (C-SNP).

MyMedicarePlans.org is an independent news and education site. We are not Aetna, not CVS Health, and not the government. We're publishing this snapshot so you can see what one carrier is offering in your county and check it against your own doctors and prescriptions before December 7.

How many Medicare Advantage plans is Aetna offering in El Paso County for 2027?

Aetna is offering nine Medicare Advantage plans in El Paso County for 2027, up from seven in 2026. By plan type, that breaks down to seven HMOs and two PPOs. All nine include Part D prescription drug coverage.

Aetna is one of 11 carriers selling Medicare Advantage in El Paso County next year. Together, those carriers offer 89 plans countywide, according to the CMS Medicare Advantage Landscape Source File for 2027. The table on this page lists every Aetna plan by name and type.

What is new or renamed in Aetna's 2027 El Paso lineup?

Two Aetna plans are new in El Paso County for 2027: Aetna Medicare Chronic Care Total (HMO C-SNP) and Aetna Medicare QMB Only Care (HMO D-SNP). Four plans are renamed versions of 2026 plans — the plan itself continues, but the name on your card and paperwork changes.

The renames to watch for:

• Aetna Medicare Full Dual Care (HMO D-SNP) — was Aetna Medicare Dual Care (HMO D-SNP) in 2026
• Aetna Medicare Full Dual Extra Care (HMO D-SNP) — was Aetna Medicare Full Dual Care (HMO D-SNP) in 2026
• Aetna Medicare QMB Only Extra Care (HMO D-SNP) — was Aetna Medicare Partial Dual Care (HMO D-SNP) in 2026
• Aetna Medicare Signature Extra (HMO) — was Aetna Medicare Prime (HMO) in 2026

Notice that two different 2026 plans both involve the word "Full Dual Care," so the rename chain matters. If you are enrolled now, your Annual Notice of Change (ANOC), mailed in late September, spells out what applies to your specific plan for 2027. None of Aetna's current El Paso Medicare Advantage plans are leaving the county for 2027.

What Special Needs Plans does Aetna offer in El Paso County?

Aetna's 2027 El Paso lineup includes five Special Needs Plans: four D-SNPs for people who have both Medicare and Medicaid, and one C-SNP for people with certain qualifying chronic conditions. SNPs are not open to everyone — you must meet the eligibility rules for that plan type.

The four D-SNPs are Aetna Medicare Full Dual Care, Aetna Medicare Full Dual Extra Care, Aetna Medicare QMB Only Care and Aetna Medicare QMB Only Extra Care. The C-SNP is Aetna Medicare Chronic Care Total. Medicare.gov or 1-800-MEDICARE can confirm whether you qualify for a specific SNP.

How do I check an Aetna plan against my doctors and prescriptions before December 7?

Use the Medicare Plan Finder at medicare.gov to run each plan you are considering against your own doctors, pharmacies and prescription list. The Plan Finder is the official tool and shows the current year's costs, networks and drug formularies side by side.

Here's a simple checklist to work through before December 7, 2026:

1. Pull out your Annual Notice of Change if you are already in an Aetna plan — it details what changes January 1, 2027. 2. On medicare.gov, enter your ZIP code and your prescription drugs exactly as prescribed, including dose. 3. Check that each doctor and hospital you use is in the plan's network for 2027 (networks can change year to year). 4. Confirm your preferred pharmacy is in-network, since cost-sharing often differs between preferred and standard pharmacies. 5. If you have Medicaid or a qualifying chronic condition, check whether a D-SNP or C-SNP fits your situation.

If a plan does not cover a drug you take, ask about the plan's exception process or compare a different plan that does. For personal help, call 1-800-MEDICARE (TTY 1-877-486-2048), which is open 24/7.

What's changing in Medicare itself for 2027?

Two Part D numbers are already confirmed for 2027. The Part D out-of-pocket cap rises to $2,400 (up from $2,100 in 2026), and the Part D maximum deductible rises to $700 (up from $615 in 2026). CMS has also set the 2027 Part D national base beneficiary premium at $41.33 — that's a formula input, not what any particular plan charges.

The 2027 Part B standard premium and deductible, and the 2027 IRMAA income brackets, have not been announced yet. CMS typically publishes those figures in the fall, usually in November. Until then, treat any number you see as unofficial.

What happens if I don't do anything by December 7?

Nothing dramatic. If your current plan is being offered again in 2027, it renews automatically with the changes listed in your Annual Notice of Change. You keep your coverage.

If you want to switch — to a different Aetna plan, to another carrier's plan, or back to Original Medicare with a stand-alone Part D plan — the change must be made by December 7, 2026, to take effect January 1, 2027. There is also a Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period from January 1 to March 31, 2027, which lets people already in a Medicare Advantage plan make one change.