Medicare Advantage

El Paso Medicare Advantage in 2027: how HMO, HMO-POS, PPO and PFFS stack up

El Paso County has 89 Medicare Advantage plans for 2027. Compared with 2026, 18 plans are not coming back, 16 are new, and 48 continuing plans changed in some way you should check before December 7, 19 of them under a new name. This guide covers what those numbers mean for El Paso, not which plan to pick.

El Paso, Texas — As the Annual Enrollment Period opens Oct. 15, 2026, El Paso shoppers are seeing a familiar lineup of Medicare Advantage choices for 2027 — but with a different balance of plan types than last year. The letters next to a plan's name (HMO, HMO-POS, PPO, PFFS) are not just alphabet soup. They tell you how the plan handles doctor networks, referrals, and care you get outside of town.

El Paso is in El Paso County, where CMS lists 89 Medicare Advantage plans from 12 carriers for 2027. Of those, 47 are HMOs, 17 are HMO-POS, 24 are PPOs and 1 is a PFFS. If you add HMOs and HMO-POS together, 64 of the county's 2027 plans use an HMO-style structure. That is the split worth understanding before you start comparing specific plans.

What the plan type actually controls

The plan type is shorthand for the rules you'll live with all year.

• HMO (Health Maintenance Organization): You pick a primary care doctor and generally use the plan's network. Many HMOs require a referral to see a specialist. Out-of-network care is usually only covered in emergencies.
• HMO-POS (Point of Service): Mostly an HMO, but with a "point-of-service" option that lets you go outside the network for certain services, usually at a higher cost. The specifics vary by plan.
• PPO (Preferred Provider Organization): You can see providers inside or outside the network without a referral. In-network care costs less; out-of-network care is usually covered but at a higher share.
• PFFS (Private Fee-for-Service): You can see any Medicare-approved provider who agrees to accept the plan's payment terms. There may or may not be a network, and providers can decide on each visit whether to accept the plan.

None of these types is cheaper or better across the board. The right fit depends on which doctors you want to keep, whether you split time between cities, and how comfortable you are with referrals.

How El Paso County's 2027 plans split by type

Here is the 2027 county-level breakdown from the CMS Landscape file, with the carriers that offer each type. The table on this page lists every plan by name.

HMO plans (47 for 2027). Carriers offering HMO plans in El Paso County next year: Aetna (CVS Health), Centene (WellCare), Devoted Health, El Paso Health Medicare Advantage, Elevance Health (Anthem), HealthSpring, Humana, Molina Healthcare of Texas, Inc., and Provider Partners Health Plans.

HMO-POS plans (17 for 2027). Carriers offering HMO-POS plans: Alignment Health Plan, Elevance Health (Anthem), ProCare Advantage, and UnitedHealthcare.

PPO plans (24 for 2027). Carriers offering PPO plans: Aetna (CVS Health), HealthSpring, Humana, and UnitedHealthcare.

PFFS plans (1 for 2027). The only carrier offering a PFFS plan in El Paso County next year is Humana.

A few carriers show up in more than one list because they offer plans of different types. The table below shows which plan is which.

Questions to ask yourself before picking a type

Plan type is one of the first filters that narrows the field. A few prompts that help:

• Do you have doctors you want to keep? Check whether they are in the plan's network before you enroll. HMOs and HMO-POS plans in particular depend on that network.
• Do you dislike referrals? PPOs typically let you book a specialist directly. Many HMOs ask for a referral from your primary care doctor first.
• Do you travel or spend part of the year elsewhere? PPOs and PFFS plans generally give you more flexibility for routine care outside the service area. HMOs usually only cover emergencies out of network.
• Do you want a plan with drug coverage built in? All 89 of El Paso County's 2027 Medicare Advantage plans include Part D drug coverage, according to the CMS Landscape file.

What's changing for 2027

The county's 2027 lineup is slightly smaller than this year's: 89 plans in 2027 versus 91 in 2026, and the type mix has shifted — more HMOs, fewer PPOs, one PFFS instead of two. CMS also shows 18 plans not returning, 16 new plans, and 19 renamed plans for 2027. If your plan is renamed or changed, your Annual Notice of Change (ANOC) spells out what is different for next year.

A few program-level numbers are also set for 2027: the Part D out-of-pocket cap rises to $2,400 (from $2,100 in 2026), and the Part D maximum deductible rises to $700 (from $615 in 2026). CMS typically announces the 2027 Part B premium, deductible, and IRMAA brackets later in the fall.

Dates to put on the fridge

• Oct. 15 – Dec. 7, 2026: Annual Enrollment Period. Any change takes effect Jan. 1, 2027.
• Jan. 1 – March 31, 2027: Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period, when people already in a Medicare Advantage plan can make one change.
• If you do nothing: Your current plan renews for 2027 if it is still offered, with the changes in its ANOC.