Medicare Advantage

Plano's 2027 Medicare Advantage lineup: how to work through 81 plans before Dec. 7

For 2027, Plano is looking at 81 Medicare Advantage plans: 21 new, 37 gone since 2026, and 30 still here but changed on premium, deductible, plan type or name, 9 of them under a new name. Below, how the lineup shifted in Collin County and what to compare, with no plan ranked or recommended.

PLANO, Texas — Fall 2026 is the one stretch of the year when nearly every Medicare Advantage shopper in Plano is looking at the same calendar. The Annual Enrollment Period runs October 15 through December 7, 2026, and any change you make takes effect January 1, 2027. For 2027, Plano residents will choose from 81 Medicare Advantage plans offered by 12 carriers in Collin County, down from 97 plans this year. That is still a lot to sort through, so this guide walks you through a clear way to compare them.

How many Medicare Advantage plans are offered in Plano for 2027?

Plano is in Collin County, where 81 Medicare Advantage plans from 12 carriers are available for 2027. That is 16 fewer plans than the 97 offered in 2026, but the number of carriers is unchanged at 12.

By plan type, the 2027 lineup breaks down as 36 HMO plans, 20 HMO-POS plans, and 25 PPO plans. 73 of the 81 plans include Part D prescription drug coverage. No Private Fee-for-Service (PFFS) plans are on the 2027 Collin County list, which is a change from 2026.

The 12 carriers offering plans in Collin County for 2027 are Aetna (CVS Health), Baylor Scott & White Health Plan, Centene (WellCare), Elevance Health (Anthem), HealthSpring, Humana, Molina Healthcare of Texas, ProCare Advantage, Provider Partners Health Plans, Texas Independence Health Plan, UnitedHealthcare, and Verda Health Plan of Texas. The table on this page lists every plan by carrier.

What is new in Collin County's 2027 Medicare Advantage lineup?

For 2027, 21 plans are new, 37 plans are not returning, and 9 plans are renamed. If your current plan is one of the 37 not returning, your carrier will send you a non-renewal notice this fall explaining your options.

One carrier name on the 2027 list, Texas Independence Health Plan, was not in the 2026 Collin County roster. Plan-count shifts among returning carriers include Humana going from 22 plans to 25, UnitedHealthcare from 24 to 16, Blue Cross Blue Shield plans now listed under HealthSpring, and Centene (WellCare) moving from 7 plans to 6. These are availability counts only — they do not tell you whether a specific plan got better or worse for your situation. That is what the Annual Notice of Change is for.

What Special Needs Plans are available in Plano for 2027?

Collin County's 2027 lineup includes 41 Special Needs Plans (SNPs): 22 Dual-Eligible SNPs (D-SNPs) for people who have both Medicare and Medicaid, 12 Chronic Condition SNPs (C-SNPs) for people with qualifying conditions such as diabetes, heart conditions or kidney disease, and 7 Institutional SNPs (I-SNPs) for people living in a nursing home or needing a similar level of care.

You can only enroll in an SNP if you meet its eligibility rules. If you qualify, SNPs are built around a specific population, so the drug lists and care teams are designed for those needs.

How do I compare 2027 Medicare Advantage plans in Plano step by step?

Work through these six steps in order. The Medicare Plan Finder at medicare.gov/plan-compare is the central tool; you can also call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227), which is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

1. Read your Annual Notice of Change (ANOC). If you are already in a Medicare Advantage or Part D plan, your carrier mailed (or emailed) an ANOC by September 30, 2026. It shows what is changing for 2027 — premium, deductible, copays, drug tier placement, extra benefits, and network. Read it even if you plan to stay put.

2. Check your doctors and hospitals. Each plan has its own network. For an HMO, out-of-network care is generally not covered except for emergencies. PPOs allow out-of-network care at higher cost. HMO-POS plans sit in between. Confirm each of your doctors and your preferred Plano-area hospital system is in-network for the plan year 2027 — call the plan's member services or check the plan's online directory, and verify with your doctor's office.

3. Enter your prescriptions in Plan Finder. Type each drug, dose and quantity into medicare.gov/plan-compare. The tool shows the formulary tier, whether prior authorization or step therapy applies, and your estimated yearly drug cost by plan.

4. Check your pharmacy. Plans have preferred and standard pharmacies, and your cost can differ at each. Make sure your usual Plano pharmacy — or a mail-order option — is listed as preferred if that matters to your budget.

5. Compare total costs, not just the premium. Look at the monthly premium, the medical deductible, primary and specialist copays, the Part D deductible, and the maximum out-of-pocket limit. A plan with a low premium can have higher copays, and vice versa.

6. Weigh the extras honestly. Dental, vision, hearing, over-the-counter allowances, transportation and fitness benefits vary widely. Count only the ones you will actually use.

What 2027 Medicare figures should I know before I compare?

A few numbers that affect every Part D and Medicare Advantage plan with drug coverage:

• Part D out-of-pocket cap: $2,400 in 2027 (up from $2,100 in 2026). Once your out-of-pocket drug spending hits that cap, you pay $0 for covered Part D drugs for the rest of the year.
• Part D maximum deductible: $700 in 2027 (up from $615 in 2026). Plans can set a lower deductible, but not a higher one.
• The Medicare Prescription Payment Plan lets you spread your Part D out-of-pocket costs across the year in monthly installments instead of paying at the pharmacy counter.
• The 2027 Part B standard premium and deductible and the 2027 IRMAA income brackets are set by CMS and are typically announced in November. Treat any figure you see before then as a projection, not official.

What happens in Plano if I do nothing by December 7?

If your current plan is being offered again in 2027, it renews automatically with the changes described in your ANOC — nothing extra for you to do. If your plan is one of the 37 not returning in Collin County, you will get a non-renewal letter and a Special Enrollment Period to pick a new plan. If you miss both, you generally return to Original Medicare and can enroll in a stand-alone Part D plan under specific rules.

The Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period (January 1 – March 31, 2027) also gives Medicare Advantage members one chance to switch to another Medicare Advantage plan or go back to Original Medicare.