Which options are listed?
Identify organizations, plan names, categories, and the geographic areas associated with an offering. Use plan identifiers to distinguish similar names and organize your research.
2027 CMS MEDICARE LANDSCAPE • OFFICIAL DATA EXPLAINED FOR AGENTS
Advantage Plus / 2027 Plan Research
2027 CMS Medicare
Landscape Explained.
Explore CMS's newly released Medicare Advantage and Part D data: what the landscape files show, how to read them, and what the 2027 numbers mean for the markets you serve.
Start here
What is the CMS Medicare landscape?
The landscape is CMS's public data resource for researching Medicare Advantage and Medicare prescription drug plan offerings. It helps agents move from a nationwide announcement to the actual options listed for their markets.
What costs can you compare?
Review available premium, deductible, and other cost fields using the definitions supplied with the download. Keep medical and prescription-drug measures separate.
How has the market shifted?
Compare like-for-like records between coverage years. Differences can help you identify where service-area, renewal, or benefit research deserves attention.
Landscape data is a market overview, not a complete
benefit comparison.
Use current plan documents, formularies, provider directories, and personalized comparison results to resolve the details that determine whether coverage fits a particular client.
Use current plan documents, formularies, provider directories, and personalized comparison results to resolve the details that determine whether coverage fits a particular client.
CMS currently lists CY2027 Landscape (202609) and CY2026 Landscape (202609) under Downloads on its official coverage page . Verify the year and any accompanying definitions before analysis.
CMS national projections
The 2027 picture at a glance.
Average MA premium
$12.00
Projected monthly average for 2027, down from $14.37 in 2026: a 16.5% decrease.
Stand-alone PDP premium
$36.00
Projected monthly average for 2027, compared with $35.09 in 2026.
MA plan availability
5,532
Approximately this many MA plans are expected nationally, compared with 5,553 in 2026.
Broad access does not mean identical local choice.
CMS projects that more than 99% of beneficiaries will have access to at least one MA plan and 97% to ten or more. These are national measures; review the client's actual location and eligibility.
CMS projects that more than 99% of beneficiaries will have access to at least one MA plan and 97% to ten or more. These are national measures; review the client's actual location and eligibility.
Source: CMS, September 28, 2026 . Averages are not plan-specific quotes. MA plan premiums are separate from the Medicare Part B premium.
Actual CMS state summaries
One national trend. Different state results.
These selected markets illustrate why agents should look beyond national averages. The figures below come from CMS's 2027 state fact sheets; they are state totals and averages, not the number of plans available in every county.
| State |
MA plans 2026 → 2027 |
Change in count |
Average monthly MA premium 2026 → 2027 |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | 402 → 394 | −8 | $13.77 → $14.12 |
| Florida | 611 → 560 | −51 | $1.83 → $2.13 |
| Texas | 423 → 421 | −2 | $3.94 → $4.27 |
| Nevada | 105 → 98 | −7 | $1.09 → $0.56 |
| Arizona | 133 → 148 | +15 | $4.47 → $2.81 |
Source: CMS 2027 state-by-state fact sheets , September 28, 2026. Count changes are calculated from the published totals.
How to interpret the comparison:
A net decline in plan count does not identify which contracts ended, how many members were affected, or whether a particular client's plan changed. Use the source file and official renewal information for those questions.
A net decline in plan count does not identify which contracts ended, how many members were affected, or whether a particular client's plan changed. Use the source file and official renewal information for those questions.
Understanding the spreadsheet
Read the fields before ranking the plans.
CMS introduced a combined landscape format for CY2025, with CSV and Excel versions and a README. The groups below explain that documented structure. LIS means Low-Income Subsidy, also known as Extra Help. Use the current 2027 file headers and definitions to confirm the exact fields in your download.
Year & plan identifiers
Contract Year, Contract ID, Plan ID, and Segment ID help distinguish records. Keep identifiers as text to preserve leading zeros. A plan name alone is not a reliable matching key.
State & county
Filter geography before comparing prices. Availability in one county does not establish availability in a neighboring county.
Category & plan type
Distinguish MA and PDP categories, plan types such as HMO or PPO, and whether Part D coverage is included.
Special Needs Plans
SNP indicators distinguish Dual Eligible (D-SNP), Chronic Condition (C-SNP), and Institutional (I-SNP) plans. Confirm eligibility separately.
Premiums & deductibles
Separate Part C, Part D, consolidated premium, and deductible measures. Avoid adding a total to components already included in it.
LIS-related measures
Subsidy and benchmark fields require their own definitions. They do not establish a client's Extra Help status.
Format background: CMS CY2025 Landscape Format Memo . This is historical format guidance, not a guarantee that every column is unchanged in 2027.
Working with the actual files
How to build a useful local comparison.
Get both coverage years.
Open the CMS page and download the listed CY2027 and CY2026 ZIP packages. Extract them and read the included documentation before importing the data into Excel or another spreadsheet tool.
Define the geography.
Start with a state and your target county for local MA research. For PDP records, follow the file's regional or geographic definitions instead of assuming every row behaves like an MA county record.
Compare similar coverage.
Separate MA-only, MA-PD, and stand-alone PDP analysis. Create a distinct view for SNPs. A mixed list can make premium rankings and apparent plan counts misleading.
Define a unique offering.
Before counting, decide whether you mean plans, plan segments, organizations, or geographic records. A plan listed across multiple counties can appear in multiple rows. Raw row totals are not automatically unique-plan totals.
Align the two years.
Match identifiers and geography; then compare equivalent cost fields. If an identifier changes or a plan is absent, investigate official crosswalk or renewal information rather than assuming a termination.
Resolve the client details.
Use the landscape to narrow your research. Check current benefits, medications, pharmacies, providers, and eligibility in the appropriate sources before making an individual recommendation.
Spreadsheet tip:
Keep an untouched source copy. Work in a separate sheet, preserve identifier formatting, and record filters so another team member can reproduce your comparison.
Keep an untouched source copy. Work in a separate sheet, preserve identifier formatting, and record filters so another team member can reproduce your comparison.
Cost comparisons that make sense
Keep these three measures separate.
| Measure | What it describes | What to check next |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly plan premium | The recurring plan charge. Read the definition to determine which components it includes. | The Medicare Part B premium and any applicable additional amounts are separate considerations. |
| Annual Part D deductible | A Part D cost measure; how it applies depends on plan terms and the covered drugs. | Drug tiers, deductible exceptions, utilization restrictions, pharmacy pricing, and personalized annual cost. |
| Medical maximum out-of-pocket | A medical spending limit for covered Part A and B services under the applicable plan rules. | In-network and combined limits where applicable; do not treat it as a Part D drug spending cap. |
Illustration—not actual CMS plan data:
A $0-premium option with higher service copays may cost a client more over a year than an option with a monthly premium. The landscape can identify candidates; the client's expected care and current plan terms determine the meaningful comparison.
A $0-premium option with higher service copays may cost a client more over a year than an option with a monthly premium. The landscape can identify candidates; the client's expected care and current plan terms determine the meaningful comparison.
Official sources
Open the data behind the page.
CMS DOWNLOAD PAGE
2027 & 2026 Landscape Files
Open Downloads and select the coverage-year
package you need.
Open landscape downloads ↗
CMS STATE SUMMARIES
All-State 2027 Fact Sheets
Find state plan counts, premium averages, access
measures, and enrollment dates.
Open official fact sheets ↗
PERSONALIZED COMPARISON
Medicare Plan Finder
Select the correct coverage year and compare
options using the client's specific information.
Open Plan Finder ↗
Additional reference: CMS's full 2027 national announcement .
From research to enrollment
Keep the 2027 calendar in view.
October 1
2026: Begin comparing 2027 plans on Medicare.gov.
Around October 8
2026: CMS expects 2027 plan Star Ratings
on Medicare.gov.
Oct. 15–Dec. 7
2026: Medicare Annual Enrollment Period.
January 1
2027: Coverage begins for applicable fall
enrollment elections.
Dates from the CMS 2027 state fact sheets . The expected Star Ratings date is approximate. Confirm current availability before using ratings.
Common landscape questions
Know what the data can tell you.
Why might my plan count differ from a CMS state total?
Your filters may include different categories, SNPs, segments, or geographic records. Review the official file definitions and how you deduplicated records before comparing your result with a published total.
Does a $0 plan premium mean zero overall cost?
No. Review applicable Medicare premiums, cost sharing, prescriptions, and services. A $0 plan premium describes one cost component.
Can I determine a doctor's participation from the landscape?
No. Use current provider directories and confirm with the plan and provider. Verify the exact provider, practice location, and plan.
Can I use it to estimate a client's prescription spending?
Not by itself. You need the client's exact medications, quantities, pharmacy, subsidy status, and current plan formulary and pricing information.
What does a missing 2027 plan record mean?
It is a research flag. Check the geography, identifiers, official renewal notices, and crosswalk information. A missing row alone does not establish that a client must change plans.