Medicare Advantage

HMO, PPO, SNP: what the plan letters mean in Vancouver

People in Vancouver can choose from 57 Medicare Advantage plans for 2027, against 76 this year. 30 of this year’s plans are gone, 11 are new to Clark County, and 37 that continue have changed their premium, deductible, plan type or name, 13 of them under a new name.

Medicare AdvantageVancouver, WA

If you live in Vancouver and are sorting through Medicare Advantage, the first thing worth knowing is not which plan to pick — it is what the letters after each plan name actually mean. HMO, HMO-POS, PPO and Special Needs Plan (SNP) each work a little differently, and understanding those rules up front makes every other comparison easier.

Vancouver is in Clark County, where 9 carriers offer Medicare Advantage plans with drug coverage for 2027, according to the CMS Medicare Advantage Landscape Source File. The full plan roster is in the table below. This article walks through the plan types so you can narrow the field before you start comparing specific plans.

What Medicare Advantage is, in one paragraph

Medicare Advantage (Part C) is private insurance that replaces Original Medicare for your day-to-day coverage. The plan handles your hospital (Part A) and medical (Part B) services, and most plans include Part D drug coverage. In Clark County, all 44 Medicare Advantage plans available for 2027 include drug coverage. Each plan sets its own network rules, its own referral rules and its own extra benefits — which is exactly why the plan “type” matters.

HMO: the tightest network, usually with referrals

An HMO (Health Maintenance Organization) asks you to use doctors and hospitals inside the plan’s network, except for emergencies. You usually pick a primary care doctor, and you often need a referral to see a specialist. If you value having one clear care team and don’t travel much, an HMO can feel simple. If you want to see out-of-network doctors on a regular basis, an HMO is probably not the right fit.

Of the 76 Medicare Advantage plans in Clark County, 24 are HMO plans.

HMO-POS: an HMO with a small door to out-of-network care

HMO-POS stands for “HMO with a Point of Service option.” It works like an HMO for most of your care, but it lets you go out of network for certain services, usually at a higher cost. Think of it as an HMO with one extra door.

PPO: broader network, no referrals needed

A PPO (Preferred Provider Organization) lets you see any doctor that accepts Medicare and the plan’s terms. You pay less if you stay in network, more if you go out. You do not need referrals for specialists. PPOs tend to appeal to people who travel, split time between two homes, or already have specialists they don’t want to give up.

PPOs are the largest category in Clark County: 34 of the 76 plans are PPOs.

PFFS: rare, and not offered here

You may still see PFFS (Private Fee-For-Service) mentioned in Medicare guides. In a PFFS plan, the plan sets the payment terms and any doctor who accepts those terms can see you. No PFFS plans are offered in Clark County for 2027, so you can safely set that category aside for this market.

Special Needs Plans: only if you qualify

Special Needs Plans (SNPs) are Medicare Advantage plans built for a specific group of people. There are three kinds:

• D-SNP (Dual-Eligible): for people who have both Medicare and Medicaid.
• C-SNP (Chronic Condition): for people with a qualifying condition, such as diabetes or certain heart conditions.
• I-SNP (Institutional): for people who live in a nursing home or need a nursing-home level of care.

You can't just pick a SNP because you like the benefits — you have to meet the eligibility rules. If a SNP fits your situation, it is worth a close look; if not, it isn't an option at all.

The carriers in Clark County for 2027

Here are the 9 carriers offering Medicare Advantage plans in Clark County for 2027, in alphabetical order, with how many plans each offers and the types they use. Three carriers that offered plans in 2026 — Blue Cross Blue Shield (HCSC), Elevance Health (Anthem) and Providence Medicare Advantage Plans — are not returning for 2027. The full list of individual plans is in the table below.

• AgeRight Advantage — 2 plans (HMO; both SNPs)
• Blue Cross Blue Shield (HCSC) — 2 plans (HMO, PPO)
• Centene (WellCare) — 10 plans (HMO-POS, PPO; 5 SNPs)
• Community Health Plan of WA Medicare Advantage — 2 plans (HMO; both SNPs)
• Devoted Health — 4 plans (PPO; 2 SNPs)
• Elevance Health (Anthem) — 2 plans (HMO; both SNPs)
• Humana — 21 plans (HMO, PPO; 7 SNPs)
• Kaiser Permanente — 3 plans (HMO-POS)
• Molina Healthcare of Washington, Inc. — 2 plans (HMO; both SNPs)
• Providence Medicare Advantage Plans — 4 plans (HMO, HMO-POS)
• Regence BlueCross BlueShield of Oregon — 4 plans (PPO)
• UnitedHealthcare — 20 plans (HMO-POS, PPO; 9 SNPs)

A simple way to narrow the field

Before you compare any single plan, answer three questions:

1. Do I qualify for a Special Needs Plan (Medicaid, chronic condition, or nursing-home care)? If yes, start there. 2. Do I need the freedom to see out-of-network doctors regularly? If yes, lean PPO. 3. Am I comfortable with a set network and a primary care doctor? If yes, HMO or HMO-POS is on the table.

That alone will typically cut the 76-plan Clark County list down to a much smaller set to actually compare on drug coverage, extras and provider networks.

A few Part D facts worth knowing

Because every Medicare Advantage plan in Clark County includes drug coverage, these program-level Part D rules will apply to you:

• The Part D out-of-pocket cap is $2,100 for 2026.
• The maximum Part D deductible is $615 (plans can charge less).
• 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 over the year in monthly bills, if you choose to opt in.

Dates to circle

• Annual Enrollment Period: Oct. 15 – Dec. 7. Changes take effect Jan. 1.
• Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment: Jan. 1 – March 31. If you’re already in a Medicare Advantage plan, you get one chance to switch to another MA plan or return to Original Medicare.