Medicare Advantage

Chesapeake Has 67 Medicare Plans: How to Narrow Them

People in Chesapeake can choose from 70 Medicare Advantage plans for 2027, against 67 this year. Three of this year’s plans are gone, 6 are new to Chesapeake city, and 45 that continue have changed their premium, deductible, plan type or name, 16 of them under a new name.

CHESAPEAKE, Va. — It is fall 2026, which means the mail carrier is bringing something important to Medicare households across South Hampton Roads: the Annual Notice of Change, or ANOC, from every Medicare Advantage and Part D plan. That booklet spells out what your plan will look like in 2027 — and the window to act on it closes Dec. 7, 2026.

If you do nothing, your current plan simply renews on Jan. 1, 2027 (assuming it is offered next year), with whatever changes the ANOC describes. That can be fine. It can also mean a new deductible, a different pharmacy tier, or a doctor who is no longer in network. The point of this checklist is to help you find out before the deadline, not after.

What is the Dec. 7, 2026 Medicare deadline for Chesapeake residents?

Dec. 7, 2026 is the last day of the Annual Enrollment Period for 2027 coverage. Any Medicare Advantage or Part D choice you make between Oct. 15 and Dec. 7, 2026 takes effect Jan. 1, 2027.

After Dec. 7, your options narrow. People already enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan get one more chance — the Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period, Jan. 1 – March 31, 2027 — to switch Advantage plans once or move back to Original Medicare. Outside those windows, you generally need a Special Enrollment Period to make changes.

How do I read my Annual Notice of Change (ANOC) for 2027?

Start by comparing your 2027 ANOC side-by-side with your current 2026 Evidence of Coverage. The ANOC's job is to flag what is different; the Evidence of Coverage is the full rulebook.

A few lines to look at carefully:

• The monthly premium and the medical deductible for 2027.
• Primary care, specialist and urgent care copays.
• The maximum out-of-pocket for in-network care.
• The drug deductible, the formulary tiers, and any changes to preferred pharmacies.
• Extra benefits (dental, vision, hearing, over-the-counter, fitness) — these change often from year to year.

If a change jumps out at you, that is your signal to compare other plans before Dec. 7.

How do I check that my doctors, hospitals and prescriptions are still covered in 2027?

Check three directories, in this order: your plan's 2027 provider directory, its 2027 pharmacy directory, and its 2027 drug formulary. All three live on the plan's website and update for the new plan year in the fall.

For Chesapeake residents, that typically means confirming your primary care doctor and specialists, your preferred hospital (Chesapeake Regional, the Sentara hospitals, Bon Secours Maryview and others in the region), and the pharmacy you actually use. Networks can shift from one year to the next even if your plan name stays the same.

For prescriptions, list every drug by name, dose and quantity, then look each one up in the 2027 formulary. Note the tier, any step therapy or prior authorization, and whether a 90-day supply or mail order is preferred. Even a jump of one tier can change what you pay.

The quickest way to compare across plans at once is the Medicare Plan Finder at medicare.gov — you can enter your drug list and preferred pharmacy and see how 2027 plans handle them.

How many Medicare Advantage plans and carriers can Chesapeake residents choose from?

Chesapeake is in Chesapeake city, where CMS's 2026 Landscape Source File lists 67 Medicare Advantage plans from 6 carriers. The 2027 lineup is in the same Plan Finder tool, published for the Oct. 15 start of enrollment.

By plan type, the 2026 roster breaks down as 19 HMO plans, 19 HMO-POS plans, 27 PPO plans and 2 PFFS plans. Twenty-seven are Special Needs Plans (for people with Medicaid, certain chronic conditions, or who live in an institution), and 58 include Part D drug coverage.

The six carriers serving the county are Aetna (CVS Health), Elevance Health (Anthem), Humana, Lifeworks Advantage, Sentara Medicare and UnitedHealthcare. The table below lists every plan by carrier.

What 2027 Medicare figures are already confirmed, and what is still coming?

CMS has confirmed a few 2027 numbers you can rely on while you compare plans. The Part D out-of-pocket cap rises to $2,400 in 2027 (up from $2,100 in 2026), and the Part D maximum deductible rises to $700 (up from $615 in 2026). The Part D national base beneficiary premium for 2027 is $41.33, which is a formula input, not a figure any specific plan charges you.

A few other numbers are not out yet. The 2027 Part B standard premium and deductible, and the 2027 IRMAA income brackets, are typically announced by CMS in November. Watch medicare.gov for those — and ignore anyone trying to quote them as settled before the official release.

Two 2026 program features worth remembering as you shop: the coverage gap ("donut hole") is gone (Part D has three phases now, not four), and the Medicare Prescription Payment Plan lets you spread drug costs across the calendar year in monthly installments at no extra charge.

Where should Chesapeake residents go for personalized Medicare help?

Go straight to the official sources. Medicare.gov has the Plan Finder, your current enrollment, and plain-language explanations; 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227) is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and can answer questions specific to your situation.

If you have questions about Part B premiums or IRMAA based on your income, the Social Security Administration (ssa.gov or 1-800-772-1213) is the right stop.