Medicare Advantage

HMO, PPO, PFFS or SNP: which fits how you get care?

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.

Medicare AdvantageChesapeake, VA

CHESAPEAKE, Va. — If you are shopping for a Medicare Advantage plan here, the first decision is not really which carrier to pick. It is which type of plan fits how you like to get care. Chesapeake sits in Chesapeake city, where CMS lists 54 Medicare Advantage plans offered by six carriers for the 2027 plan year — a mix of HMO, HMO-POS, PPO, PFFS and Special Needs Plans. Knowing what those letters mean is the fastest way to shorten your list.

The Chesapeake lineup at a glance

According to the CMS Medicare Advantage Landscape Source File, six carriers offer MA-PD plans in Chesapeake city for 2027, listed alphabetically: Aetna (CVS Health), Elevance Health (Anthem), Humana, Lifeworks Advantage, Sentara Medicare and UnitedHealthcare.

By plan type, the 67 plans break down like this:

• HMO: 19
• HMO-POS: 19
• PPO: 27
• PFFS: 2
• Of the 67 total, 27 are Special Needs Plans, and all 67 include prescription drug coverage.

The table below lists every plan by carrier. Nothing about type alone makes a plan “better” — it just tells you how the plan is built.

HMO vs. HMO-POS: the network-first designs

An HMO (Health Maintenance Organization) asks you to pick a primary care doctor and generally use in-network providers. Out-of-network care usually is not covered except in emergencies. Referrals are often required to see a specialist. If you have steady local providers and don’t travel much for care, HMOs can be straightforward.

An HMO-POS (Point of Service) works like an HMO but adds a limited option to see certain out-of-network providers, usually at a higher cost. It is a middle ground between HMO and PPO.

In Chesapeake city, HMO and HMO-POS designs show up across most carriers. For example, Humana’s Gold Plus plans are HMOs, while Aetna Medicare Signature Care is offered as an HMO-POS.

PPO: more flexibility, different tradeoffs

A PPO (Preferred Provider Organization) lets you see any Medicare-approved provider, in or out of network, without a referral. In-network care typically costs less. PPOs can be a fit for people who split time between places or who want fewer network rules. Chesapeake city's 2027 lineup includes PPO plans from Aetna, Elevance Health (Anthem), Humana and UnitedHealthcare. Some PPOs are “regional,” meaning they cover a multi-state service area rather than a single county.

PFFS: the least common design

A PFFS (Private Fee-for-Service) plan sets its own payment terms with providers. Any provider that accepts the plan's terms can treat you, but providers are not required to. That means you should confirm acceptance before every visit. PFFS plans in Chesapeake city for 2027 are offered by Humana.

Special Needs Plans: only if you qualify

Special Needs Plans (SNPs) are Medicare Advantage plans tailored to a specific group. You cannot enroll unless you meet the eligibility rules. There are three kinds:

• D-SNP (Dual Eligible) — for people with both Medicare and Medicaid.
• C-SNP (Chronic Condition) — for people with qualifying conditions such as diabetes, chronic heart failure or end-stage renal disease.
• I-SNP (Institutional) — for people who live in a nursing home or need a nursing-home level of care.

Chesapeake city's 2027 SNP lineup spans most of the carriers. Examples include Aetna Medicare FIDE (HMO D-SNP), Anthem Chronic Care (HMO-POS C-SNP), Humana Together in Health (PPO I-SNP), Lifeworks Advantage's Premier Care (HMO-POS I-SNP) and Senior Care (HMO I-SNP), Sentara Community Complete (HMO D-SNP), and UnitedHealthcare's UHC Dual Complete family (HMO-POS and PPO D-SNPs).

If you don’t meet the eligibility rules for a SNP, that plan is not on your list.

Drug coverage and 2027 program rules

All 54 Medicare Advantage plans in Chesapeake city include Part D drug coverage, which matters because CMS lists zero stand-alone Part D plans as available here in 2027. A few program-level facts to keep in mind for 2027:

• The Part D out-of-pocket cap is $2,100.
• The Part D maximum deductible is $615.
• The coverage gap (“donut hole”) was eliminated in 2025; Part D now has three phases.
• The Medicare Prescription Payment Plan lets you spread drug costs across the year in monthly installments if you choose.
• IRMAA surcharges on Part B and Part D begin above $109,000 in income for a single filer in 2026.

Dates that decide when you can act

• October 15 – December 7: Annual Enrollment Period. You can join, switch or drop a Medicare Advantage or Part D plan.
• January 1 – March 31: Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period. If you are already in an MA plan, you can switch to another MA plan or return to Original Medicare (and add a stand-alone Part D plan if one is available).
• Other Special Enrollment Periods may apply — for example, if you move, lose other coverage, or become eligible for a SNP.