Medicare Advantage

Picking a 2027 Medicare Advantage plan in Laredo? Here's how HMO, HMO-POS and PPO differ

For 2027, Laredo is looking at 53 Medicare Advantage plans: 9 new, 20 gone since 2026, and 24 still here but changed on premium, deductible, plan type or name, 8 of them under a new name. Below, how the lineup shifted in Webb County and what to compare, with no plan ranked or recommended.

Laredo, Texas — As the Annual Enrollment Period for 2027 coverage opens Oct. 15, 2026, Laredo shoppers looking at Medicare Advantage will see the same three letters again and again on plan cards: HMO, PPO, and the less common HMO-POS. Those letters are not just branding. They decide whether you need a referral to see a specialist, whether an out-of-town doctor is covered, and how tightly you are tied to a network.

Laredo is in Webb County, where CMS lists 53 Medicare Advantage plans from 8 carriers for 2027. Of those, 24 are HMOs, 10 are HMO-POS plans, and 19 are PPOs. (In 2026 the county also had one PFFS plan on the shelf; for 2027, the lineup is HMO, HMO-POS and PPO.) Knowing what each type means — before you compare benefits — makes the rest of the shopping a lot easier.

What does HMO, HMO-POS, PPO and PFFS mean on a Medicare Advantage plan?

These are the plan types the federal Medicare program allows, and each one sets different rules for networks and referrals.

• HMO (Health Maintenance Organization): You generally must use doctors, hospitals and pharmacies in the plan's network, except in an emergency or for urgent care. Most HMOs ask you to pick a primary care provider and get a referral before seeing a specialist. Out-of-network care is usually not covered.
• HMO-POS (HMO with a Point-of-Service option): It works like an HMO, but adds a limited ability to use certain out-of-network providers for specific services. The details — which services, and at what cost share — vary plan by plan.
• PPO (Preferred Provider Organization): You can see any Medicare-approved provider who agrees to treat you. In-network care usually costs less than out-of-network, but out-of-network is covered. Referrals are generally not required.
• PFFS (Private Fee-for-Service): Any Medicare-approved provider can treat you if they agree to the plan's payment terms for that visit. For 2027, Webb County's Advantage lineup doesn't include a PFFS plan, though PFFS still exists elsewhere in Medicare.

None of these types is automatically "cheaper" or "better." Which one fits depends on your doctors, your pharmacy, how often you travel, and whether you want a primary care provider coordinating your care.

How do Webb County's 2027 Medicare Advantage plans split by type?

For 2027, the 53 Medicare Advantage plans available in Webb County break down this way: 24 HMOs, 10 HMO-POS plans, and 19 PPOs. Counted together, HMO and HMO-POS plans — the "network-first" designs — make up 34 of the 53.

The table below lists every plan available in the county, with its type and whether it includes drug coverage. Use it as a starting point, then confirm what each plan actually covers on medicare.gov.

Which carriers offer HMO, HMO-POS or PPO plans in Laredo for 2027?

Different insurers specialize in different plan types, and in Webb County the split for 2027 lines up like this:

• HMO plans are offered by Aetna (CVS Health), Centene (WellCare), HealthSpring, Molina Healthcare of Texas, Inc., Prominence Health Plan, and Texas Independence Health Plan.
• HMO-POS plans are offered by UnitedHealthcare.
• PPO plans are offered by Aetna (CVS Health), Humana, and UnitedHealthcare.

Several of these carriers also offer Special Needs Plans (SNPs) for people who qualify — for example, dual eligibles (Medicare and Medicaid), people with certain chronic conditions, or people living in an institution. SNPs are built on the HMO, HMO-POS or PPO chassis above and follow the same network rules for that type.

What should I check before I pick an HMO or a PPO?

Start with your doctors, not the plan name. A plan's network can change from one year to the next, so for 2027 coverage:

1. Make a list of the providers you want to keep — primary care doctor, specialists, hospital, imaging center, and your preferred pharmacy. 2. Check each one against the plan's 2027 provider directory, which the carrier posts for the new plan year. For an HMO, out-of-network usually means not covered. For a PPO, confirm the out-of-network cost share before you count on it. 3. Think about travel. If you spend part of the year outside Webb County, a PPO's out-of-network coverage may matter more than it would for someone who stays local. 4. Look at referrals. If you see specialists often, ask whether the plan requires a referral and how that process works. 5. Confirm drug coverage. Of Webb County's 2027 plans, most — but not all — include Part D. If a plan doesn't, you'll need to think about how you'll get drug coverage separately.

Plan Finder at medicare.gov lets you enter your prescriptions and preferred pharmacies and see how each plan would handle them.

What's changing in Webb County's Medicare Advantage lineup for 2027?

Compared with 2026, the Webb County roster has shifted: 20 plans are not returning for 2027, 9 new plans are joining, and 8 plans have been renamed. The total went from 64 plans in 2026 to 53 in 2027.

If a plan you have is not returning, your carrier is required to notify you, and you'll have a Special Enrollment Period to pick a new plan. If your plan is renewing — even under a new name — the Annual Notice of Change (ANOC) that arrives in the fall spells out exactly what's different for 2027: cost sharing, drug list, network, extra benefits. Read it before you decide to stay or switch.

What are the 2027 Medicare dates and dollar figures I should know?

• Annual Enrollment Period: Oct. 15 – Dec. 7, 2026. Changes take effect Jan. 1, 2027.
• Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period: Jan. 1 – March 31, 2027, for people already in an Advantage plan who want to switch once.
• Part D out-of-pocket cap: $2,400 in 2027 (up from $2,100 in 2026).
• Part D maximum deductible: $700 in 2027 (up from $615 in 2026).
• Part D national base beneficiary premium: $41.33 for 2027 (a formula input, not what any plan charges).
• Part B premium and deductible for 2027, and the 2027 IRMAA income brackets: CMS publishes these later in the fall, usually in November. Watch medicare.gov for the official numbers.