--- title: "Medicare Advantage guide: compare 2027 plans and benefits" description: "Understand Medicare Advantage (Part C) for 2027: what it covers, how it differs from Original Medicare, key enrollment dates, and how to compare plans." url: https://seniortransitionassistance.com/medicare-advantage/ updated: 2026-10-09 site: Senior Transition Assistance --- Medicare Advantage # Understanding Medicare Advantage for 2027 2027 plan year Talk a plan through with a licensed agent Free, no obligation, no pressure. Have your doctors and prescriptions nearby. [](#) TTY 711. Mon to Fri, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Choosing how you or someone you help receives health coverage is one of the bigger decisions of the year. Medicare Advantage, also called Medicare Part C, is an alternative to Original Medicare that bundles hospital, medical and usually prescription drug coverage into a single plan run by a private insurer approved by Medicare. **We do not offer every plan available in your area.** Currently we represent a small number of insurance agencies and the plans they carry. Please contact Medicare.gov, 1-800-MEDICARE (TTY 1-877-486-2048), 24 hours a day / 7 days a week, or your local State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) to get information on all of your options. We are an independent information and referral resource. We are not connected with, endorsed by, or acting on behalf of the United States government, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, or the federal Medicare program. Calling a number on this page connects you with a licensed insurance agent or a third-party marketing partner. ## What Medicare Advantage covers By law, a Medicare Advantage plan has to cover everything Original Medicare covers, with one exception: hospice care stays with Original Medicare. On top of that, most plans bundle: - **Prescription drug coverage (Part D),** so you do not need a separate drug plan. - **Routine dental, vision and hearing,** which Original Medicare leaves out. - **Wellness and fitness benefits,** and in many plans an allowance for over-the-counter items. - **Extra support services** in some plans, such as rides to medical appointments or meals after a hospital stay. What a plan actually covers, and what it costs you, varies plan by plan and county by county. That is why the comparison step matters more than the brochure. ## How people usually decide Most people weigh two things: how predictable they want their costs to be, and how much freedom they want in choosing doctors. Medicare Advantage plans cap your yearly out-of-pocket spending on covered care and usually include drug coverage. In exchange, you generally use the plan's network of doctors, hospitals and pharmacies, and an HMO will usually ask for a referral before you see a specialist. Original Medicare plus a Medigap policy and a stand-alone drug plan works the other way around: broad nationwide provider access and no referrals, but a separate premium and, on its own, no annual cap on what you pay. ## Request a plan review Prefer not to call? Leave your name, phone number and ZIP code and a licensed insurance agent will reach out to compare the plans available where you live against the doctors and prescriptions you use. ## Keep reading - [**Medicare Advantage vs. Original Medicare**](https://seniortransitionassistance.com/medicare-advantage/vs-original-medicare/) Network rules, out-of-pocket caps and what changes for 2027. - [**Open enrollment: dates and what you can change**](https://seniortransitionassistance.com/medicare-advantage/open-enrollment/) The October 15 to December 7 window, explained step by step. - [**Does it cover in-home care or assisted living?**](https://seniortransitionassistance.com/medicare-advantage/in-home-care-assisted-living/) The line between medical care and custodial care, and who pays for what. - [**Turning 65: a Medicare checklist**](https://seniortransitionassistance.com/medicare-advantage/turning-65-checklist/) Your seven-month window, and how to avoid late-enrollment penalties. - [**Medicare Advantage for caregivers**](https://seniortransitionassistance.com/medicare-advantage/caregivers-guide/) How to help a parent review doctors, drugs and networks. --- Canonical page: https://seniortransitionassistance.com/medicare-advantage/