Medicare Advantage

Houston Medicare Advantage in 2027: who's joining, who's leaving, and what changed

People in Houston can choose from 99 Medicare Advantage plans for 2027, against 114 this year. 37 of this year’s plans are gone, 22 are new to Harris County, and 44 that continue have changed their premium, deductible, plan type or name, 17 of them under a new name.

HOUSTON — As the Annual Enrollment Period opens on Oct. 15, 2026, the Medicare Advantage menu in Harris County is shifting in a few meaningful ways. One longtime local name is leaving the market, a new carrier is arriving, and 22 plans are joining the lineup for coverage that begins Jan. 1, 2027.

Houston sits inside Harris County, and Medicare Advantage availability is set at the county level. That means every change below applies to people with a Harris County ZIP code, whether they live in the Heights, Katy-adjacent neighborhoods, or along the Gulf Freeway.

The big picture for Harris County in 2026

For reference, Harris County has 114 Medicare Advantage plans in 2026 from 15 carriers. By plan type, that breaks down to 59 HMOs, 24 HMO-POS plans, 29 PPOs and 2 PFFS plans. Of those, 45 are Special Needs Plans (SNPs) built for people with certain chronic conditions, dual Medicare-Medicaid eligibility, or who live in an institutional setting. Every plan includes drug coverage.

The table on this page lists each 2026 plan by carrier. Below, we focus on what is changing for 2027.

Who is leaving, and who is arriving

The clearest change for Houston shoppers this fall is on the carrier side.

• Leaving the county: Memorial Hermann Health Plan will not offer Medicare Advantage plans in Harris County for 2027. That affects Memorial Hermann Advantage (HMO), Memorial Hermann Dual Advantage (HMO D-SNP) and Memorial Hermann Prime Value MA Only (HMO).
• New to the county: MedCare Partners Health Plan of Texas is entering Harris County with three plans — MedCare Choice (HMO C-SNP), MedCare Classic (HMO) and MedCare Focus (HMO C-SNP).

If your current plan is one of the Memorial Hermann plans listed above, Medicare gives you a Special Enrollment Period because your plan is being non-renewed. That window lets you join a different Medicare Advantage plan, or return to Original Medicare and add a stand-alone Part D drug plan, outside the normal AEP deadlines.

Plans not returning for 2027

In total, 37 plans available this year will not be offered in Harris County for 2027. Beyond the Memorial Hermann plans, the list includes:

• Blue Cross Blue Shield (HCSC): Blue Cross Medicare Advantage Basic (HMO), Blue Cross Medicare Advantage Choice Premier (PPO), Blue Cross Medicare Advantage Dental Value (HMO), Blue Cross Medicare Advantage Dual Care Plus (HMO D-SNP), Blue Cross Medicare Advantage Optimum (PPO), Blue Cross Medicare Advantage Preferred (PPO), Blue Cross Medicare Advantage Saver (HMO) and Blue Cross Medicare Advantage Secure (HMO).
• Centene (WellCare): Wellcare Assist (HMO), Wellcare Dual Liberty (HMO D-SNP), Wellcare Giveback (HMO), Wellcare Simple Open (PPO) and Wellcare TexanPlus Patriot Giveback (HMO-POS).
• Community Health Choice: Community DualCare Aligned (HMO D-SNP).
• Elevance Health (Anthem): Wellpoint Dual Advantage (HMO D-SNP), Wellpoint Dual Advantage 2 (HMO D-SNP), Wellpoint Full Dual Advantage (HMO D-SNP) and Wellpoint Full Dual Advantage 2 (HMO D-SNP).
• Humana: Humana Gold Choice H8145-084 (PFFS) and Humana USAA Honor Giveback (PPO).
• SCAN Health Plan: SCAN MyChoice Texas (HMO) and SCAN Strive Texas (HMO C-SNP).
• UnitedHealthcare: AARP Medicare Advantage from UHC TX-0006 (PPO), AARP Medicare Advantage Giveback from UHC TX-31 (PPO), AARP Medicare Advantage Patriot No Rx TX-MA05 (PPO), the Erickson Advantage series (Champion, Freedom, Guardian, Liberty, Liberty no Rx, Signature), UHC Complete Care Support TX-1A (Regional PPO C-SNP), UHC Dual Complete TX-Q3 (HMO-POS D-SNP) and UHC Dual Complete TX-S003 (HMO-POS D-SNP).

If one of these is your plan, you will get an Annual Notice of Change or a non-renewal letter from your insurer. Read it. It explains your options and the dates that apply to you.

Plans new for 2027

Twenty-two plans are being added to Harris County next year, spread across both familiar carriers and the new entrant:

• Aetna (CVS Health): Aetna Medicare Chronic Care Total (HMO C-SNP), Aetna Medicare QMB Only Care (HMO D-SNP).
• Blue Cross Blue Shield (HCSC): HealthSpring TotalCare Plus (HMO D-SNP).
• Centene (WellCare): Wellcare Superior HealthPlan Dual Liberty (HMO D-SNP).
• Community Health Choice: Community DualCare Access (HMO D-SNP), Community DualCare Aligned (HMO D-SNP).
• Devoted Health: DEVOTED C-SNP GIVEBACK EXTRAS 087 TX (HMO C-SNP), DEVOTED GIVEBACK EXTRAS 114 TX (HMO).
• Elevance Health (Anthem): Wellpoint Chronic Care Advantage Select (HMO C-SNP), Wellpoint Dual Advantage Plus Select (HMO D-SNP), Wellpoint Dual Advantage Select (HMO D-SNP), Wellpoint Full Dual Advantage Select (HMO D-SNP).
• Humana: Humana Gold Plus – Diabetes and Heart (HMO C-SNP), Humana Together in Health (PPO I-SNP).
• MedCare Partners Health Plan of Texas: MedCare Choice (HMO C-SNP), MedCare Classic (HMO), MedCare Focus (HMO C-SNP).
• ProCare Advantage: ProCare Advantage – Diabetes Care Management (HMO-POS C-SNP), ProCare Advantage – Kidney Care (HMO-POS C-SNP).
• SCAN Health Plan: SCAN Walmart Health Advantage (HMO), SCAN Walmart Medicare Complete (HMO C-SNP).
• UnitedHealthcare: UHC Dual Complete TX-Q6 (HMO-POS D-SNP).

A pattern worth noting: most of the new plans are Special Needs Plans. These are only open to people who meet specific eligibility rules — a qualifying chronic condition (C-SNP), both Medicare and Medicaid (D-SNP), or living in a long-term care setting (I-SNP). They are not a general option for every Houston resident.

Renames and other changes to watch

Seventeen plans are returning with a new name. The plan is the same contract, just rebadged — but the name on your mailer, pharmacy card and Medicare Plan Finder search may look unfamiliar. Examples include Aetna Medicare Chronic Care (HMO C-SNP), formerly Aetna Medicare Prime Chronic Care; HealthSpring Preferred Extra Savings (HMO), formerly HealthSpring Preferred Full Savings; and AARP Medicare Advantage from UHC TX-61 (Regional PPO), formerly UHC Medicare Advantage TX-0030.

Another 27 plans are continuing but changing in some way — on premium, deductible, plan type or name. The specifics are in the Annual Notice of Change your plan mails out in the fall. Sixty plans are continuing with no listed changes beyond the usual annual updates.

What to do before Dec. 7, 2026

The AEP window runs Oct. 15 – Dec. 7, 2026, and any change you make takes effect Jan. 1, 2027. If you do nothing and your plan still exists for 2027, it renews automatically with the changes in its ANOC.

A few things to check this fall:

• Read your ANOC when it arrives — especially the pages on drug formulary, provider network, and any cost changes.
• Confirm your doctors and preferred hospitals are still in-network for 2027.
• Compare drug coverage against the new Part D rules: the out-of-pocket cap on covered drugs is $2,400 in 2027 (up from $2,100 in 2026), and the maximum Part D deductible a plan can charge is $700 in 2027 (up from $615 in 2026).
• The 2027 Part B standard premium, deductible and IRMAA income brackets have not been announced yet. CMS typically publishes them in November.

If your plan is leaving — and 37 Harris County plans are — your Special Enrollment Period gives you extra time beyond Dec. 7 to make a choice, but acting during AEP keeps your Jan. 1 coverage uninterrupted.