Compare Medicare Advantage Plans for 2027: Step-by-Step Checklist

Every fall, Medicare Advantage plans quietly rewrite their rules for the coming year — new drug tiers, new provider networks, new prior authorization requirements — and if you don't check, you find out the hard way in January. If you're trying to compare Medicare Advantage plans for 2027, working through the same short checklist in the same order every year will catch the changes that actually affect your care and your wallet.

Why This Has to Start With Your Current Plan

It's tempting to jump straight into browsing new plans. Don't. Every comparison needs a baseline, and that baseline is what your own plan is already doing to you next year. That's Step 1, and it's always Step 1.

The Step-by-Step Checklist

Step 1: Read Your Annual Notice of Change (ANOC)

Your plan is required to notify you of any changes taking effect January 1 at least 15 days before the Annual Enrollment Period begins. Since the Annual Enrollment Period (AEP) starts October 15, that means your Annual Notice of Change (ANOC) must reach you no later than September 30, 2026, for 2027 coverage. The ANOC spells out what's changing in your current plan: premiums, deductibles, copays, formulary, network, prior authorization rules, and extra benefits. Read it before you look at anything else — it tells you what you're comparing everything else against.

This step also matters because of what happens if you skip AEP entirely. Doing nothing is not neutral. If you don't make an active choice, you are generally renewed into your same plan, but under its new 2027 terms — not the terms you're used to.

Step 2: List Your Doctors, Drugs, and Expected Services

Before you look at a single new plan, write down what you actually use: every doctor and specialist you see, every hospital or facility you rely on, every prescription drug (including dosage), and any procedures, therapies, or equipment you expect to need in 2027. This list is your yardstick. Without it, you're comparing plans in the abstract instead of comparing them against your real life.

Step 3: Check the 2027 Provider Directory for Each Doctor and Hospital

Provider networks reset and change every plan year. A doctor who was in-network in 2026 is not guaranteed to be in-network in 2027, even within the same plan. For each plan you're considering — including your current one — check the 2027 provider directory specifically for the doctors, specialists, and hospitals on your Step 2 list. Don't rely on last year's directory or on what a receptionist told you a year ago.

Step 4: Check the 2027 Formulary for Each Prescription

Formularies (drug lists) are also republished each year. For every medication on your list, check the 2027 formulary and note three things: what tier the drug is on (which affects your cost), whether there's a quantity limit, and whether step therapy is required (meaning you have to try a cheaper drug first before the plan will cover the one you're on). A drug that was covered smoothly in 2026 can land in a more restrictive tier — or require new hoops — in 2027 with no change in your health.

Step 5: Compare Total Expected Cost — Not Just the Premium

A low premium can hide a high total cost, and a higher premium can sometimes save you money over the year. To compare plans fairly, add up:

• The monthly premium
• The annual deductible (if any)
• The copays or coinsurance for the specific services and drugs you listed in Step 2 — priced against your expected usage, not just a general fee schedule
• The plan's out-of-pocket maximum, which caps what you'd pay in a bad year

Only the total picture tells you what a plan will actually cost you in 2027. Comparing premiums alone is one of the most common — and most expensive — mistakes people make during Annual Enrollment.

Step 6: Check the Plan's Prior-Authorization List

This is the step people skip most often, and it's arguably the most important. Prior authorization requirements are published separately from the provider directory — you'll find them in the plan's Evidence of Coverage and in its separately published prior authorization list. For every service or procedure you expect to need in 2027, check whether the plan requires prior authorization for it. This is the part of a plan that turns into denials down the road, so it deserves real attention before you enroll, not after a claim gets rejected.

It's also worth knowing that coverage rules, formularies, and prior authorization criteria reset every plan year. A service your plan approved without a fight in 2026 can require new authorization — or be denied outright — in 2027 under the very same plan, even though nothing about your health has changed. That's exactly why this checklist has to be repeated every single year, even if you love your current plan.

If you're mid-treatment and considering a switch, ask the new plan directly how it handles continuity of care. CMS requires Medicare Advantage plans to honor an already-approved prior authorization for the duration of your approved treatment and to provide a transition period when you switch plans during active treatment — but the exact length varies, so confirm it with the plan rather than assuming.

Step 7: Confirm Everything With Medicare's Plan Finder

Once you've done Steps 1 through 6 on paper, verify your findings using the official Medicare Plan Finder at Medicare.gov. Plan Finder lets you enter your own medications and providers and compares plans side by side using your actual information — not generic marketing summaries. Treat it as your final check, not your starting point, since it works best once you already know what to look for.

How to Find the Medicare Advantage Plans Available in Your Area for 2027

Plan availability is local — it depends on your county, not just your state. There are three reliable ways to see what's offered where you live:

• Medicare Plan Finder (Medicare.gov): Enter your ZIP code to see every Medicare Advantage and Part D plan available in your area for 2027, along with side-by-side cost and coverage comparisons.
• 1-800-MEDICARE: A representative can walk through plan options with you over the phone if you'd rather not compare online.
• Your State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP): SHIP counselors offer free, unbiased, one-on-one help comparing plans and are not affiliated with any insurer.

Remember the enrollment calendar: the Annual Enrollment Period runs October 15 through December 7, 2026, for coverage that begins January 1, 2027. If you're already in a Medicare Advantage plan on January 1, 2027, you also get a narrower second chance — the Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period, January 1 through March 31, 2027 — but it allows only one change (switching MA plans, or dropping MA to return to Original Medicare) and it's not open to people trying to join an MA plan for the first time. It is not a second AEP, so don't count on it as a safety net if you skip the fall comparison.

There's also a Special Enrollment Period that lets you switch into a plan with a 5-star overall rating, usable once per contract year from December 8 through November 30. It only helps if a 5-star plan is actually offered in your area, which isn't the case everywhere, so check availability before counting on it.

If a 2027 Plan Denies Care, You Have Appeal Rights

Even a carefully chosen plan can issue a denial. If that happens, you'll receive a Notice of Denial of Medical Coverage or Payment, commonly called the Integrated Denial Notice. For Medicare Advantage, you generally have 65 calendar days from the date on that notice to file your first-level appeal (called a Plan Reconsideration) — measured from the notice date itself, not from when you received it. If the plan upholds its denial, your case is automatically forwarded to the Independent Review Entity for a second look; you don't need to file anything separately for that step.

Don't assume a denial is the final word. A 2024 KFF analysis found that roughly 80% of appealed Medicare Advantage prior-authorization denials are overturned — though the same analysis found only about 11.5% of denied prior-authorization requests are ever appealed in the first place. In other words, many people who could win an appeal never file one. If a 2027 plan denies something you need, it's worth pushing back.

Because enrollment windows, costs, and plan details change every year and vary by county, always confirm current dates, deadlines, and dollar amounts directly at Medicare.gov or by calling 1-800-MEDICARE before you make a final decision.

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This article is general education, not legal or medical advice. Medicare rules, deadlines, and dollar amounts change; confirm the current details for your situation at Medicare.gov or by calling 1-800-MEDICARE. MedicareClaimDenied.com is not affiliated with or endorsed by Medicare, CMS, or any insurer.