Medicare Advantage in 2027: What's Changing for Your Doctor Visits, Prescriptions and Telehealth

What's changing in Medicare Advantage for 2027?

Five changes for 2027 affect your doctor visits, prescriptions and care from home. Here's what to check for each.

Open enrollment runs October 15 through December 7, 2026, and changes start January 1, 2027. Dates, premiums and Part B costs are in our guide to Medicare open enrollment 2027. This page covers what the changes mean for your care.

Is your plan leaving your area?

More than 3 million people with Medicare Advantage must find a new plan for 2027 because their plan is ending, CNN reports. In some places, no Medicare Advantage plan with drug coverage is left. KFF estimates about 638,000 people in 193 counties will have no Medicare Advantage plan with drug coverage in 2027. In 2026, it was 399,000 people in 123 counties.

If your plan is ending, it should send you a notice. You get a Special Enrollment Period to choose new coverage and, in some cases, a guaranteed right to buy a Medigap policy (supplemental insurance for Original Medicare). Check the exact dates on Medicare.gov. Choosing by December 7 lets your new coverage start on January 1.

A new plan can also mean new doctors, a new pharmacy and new approval steps for your drugs. Before you choose, check:

• Whether your doctors and hospitals are in the plan's network

• Whether each drug you take is on the plan's 2027 drug list, and at what tier

• Whether a drug needs prior authorization (the plan's approval before it pays) or step therapy (trying a lower-cost drug first)

• Which pharmacies the plan prefers

What do lower star ratings mean?

Star ratings dipped slightly for 2027, but a lower rating doesn't change your benefits. Your own plan's rating matters more than the average. CMS released the ratings on October 8, 2026. They run from 1 to 5 stars and reflect a plan's quality and service.

• The average rating for Medicare Advantage plans with drug coverage is 3.99 stars, down from 4.01.

• 15 contracts with drug coverage earned 5 stars, down from 22. A contract is an insurer's agreement with Medicare and can cover several plans.

• About 71% of members are in contracts rated 4 stars or higher.

• CMS is adding a depression screening and follow-up measure. It starts with care given in 2027 and first counts in the 2029 ratings.

You can see each plan's rating in the Medicare Plan Finder on Medicare.gov, next to its costs, drug list and doctors.

What changes for your prescriptions?

Part D drug coverage changes on January 1, 2027, whether you get it through a Medicare Advantage plan or a stand-alone drug plan.

• Yearly cap: once your spending on covered drugs reaches $2,400, you pay $0 for covered Part D drugs for the rest of the year. The cap was $2,100 in 2026.

• Deductible: the highest deductible a plan can charge rises to $700, from $615.

• Negotiated prices: Medicare-negotiated prices take effect for 15 more brand-name drugs, including Ozempic, Rybelsus and Wegovy. What you pay still depends on your plan's tiers and copays.

• Premiums: some stand-alone drug plan premiums may rise. The Part D Premium Stabilization Demonstration, which held them down in 2025 and 2026, ends after 2026.

Our guide to Medicare Part D in 2027 explains deductibles, tiers and drug lists in more detail.

GLP-1s and the Medicare GLP-1 Bridge

From July 1, 2026, to December 31, 2027, Wegovy, Foundayo and Zepbound KwikPen for weight loss cost $50 a month through the Medicare GLP-1 Bridge. To qualify, you need a prescription and Part D coverage, through a stand-alone drug plan or a Medicare Advantage plan with drug coverage. You must also meet the program's criteria. The $50 you pay through the Bridge doesn't count toward the $2,400 Part D cap. Zepbound vials and other pens aren't included, and coverage after 2027 hasn't been decided.

Ozempic isn't part of the Bridge. Medicare drug plans may cover it for type 2 diabetes, depending on the plan's drug list. Our guide to Medicare GLP-1 coverage explains both.

Telehealth through December 31, 2027

Medicare's expanded telehealth rules, which let many people have video visits from home, run through December 31, 2027. Medicare Advantage plans may add telehealth benefits beyond Original Medicare. Your plan's Evidence of Coverage (the document that lists what your plan covers) shows what's included.

Our guide to what telehealth services Medicare covers has the details.

Keeping your care on track during a plan change

A new network shouldn't mean waiting weeks for a renewal (a new prescription for a medicine you already take). These steps can help you avoid a gap in care:

1. List your doctors and drugs. Include each drug's dose. You'll use the list to compare plans.

2. Plan your renewals. If a prescription runs out around January, ask about a renewal before your current plan ends.

3. Start approvals early. If a drug needs prior authorization under your new plan, ask your doctor to send the request soon after you enroll.

4. Keep your records. Ask your current doctors for recent visit notes and test results, so a new doctor can pick up where they left off.

While you find doctors in a new network, a video visit can handle a renewal or a new health question. Doctronic accepts Medicare, and you can see a licensed doctor by video.

Where to get help choosing a plan

Doctronic isn't an insurance agent or broker and doesn't recommend plans. For free help comparing them:

• Medicare.gov: the Medicare Plan Finder compares plans' costs, drug lists, doctors and star ratings.

• 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227): Medicare's own help line.

• Your State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP): free, one-on-one counseling.

More guides

• Is your Medicare Advantage plan leaving in 2027?

• Medicare Special Enrollment Period when your plan leaves

• Medicare Advantage vs Original Medicare

• Medigap vs Medicare Advantage

• What does Medicare Advantage cover?

• Why some people say Medicare Advantage plans are bad

• What star ratings mean for your plan

• The Medicare GLP-1 Bridge

• Does Medicare cover Ozempic?

• Medicare drug price negotiation

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I know if my Medicare Advantage plan is leaving?

Your plan should send you a notice, and your Annual Notice of Change lists its changes for 2027. You can also look up the plans in your area in the Medicare Plan Finder on Medicare.gov.

Will I lose my doctor if my plan changes?

You might, if your doctor isn't in the new plan's network. Check each doctor and hospital in the plan's directory, or call the office, before you choose.

What's the Part D out-of-pocket cap for 2027?

It's $2,400, up from $2,100. Premiums, drugs not on your plan's drug list and the $50 a month paid through the GLP-1 Bridge don't count toward it.

Does Medicare Advantage cover telehealth in 2027?

Yes, through December 31, 2027, under Medicare's expanded rules. What you pay for each video visit depends on your plan.

What if I miss December 7?

If you're in a Medicare Advantage plan, you can switch to another Medicare Advantage plan or return to Original Medicare once between January 1 and March 31, 2027. If your plan is leaving your area, you also get a Special Enrollment Period.

The Bottom Line

By December 7, 2026, check whether your plan is staying, whether your doctors and drugs are covered, and what your plan's telehealth benefits include. Changes made by December 7 take effect January 1.