2027 Medicare options sheets
One page that shows the two main roads: Original Medicare with a supplement and a drug plan, or Medicare Advantage.
What are the main Medicare options for 2027?
You start with Original Medicare, which is Part A (hospital) and Part B (medical). Then you choose one of two roads. Either keep Original Medicare and add a Medicare Supplement (Medigap) policy and a Part D drug plan, or join a Medicare Advantage plan (Part C), which bundles Parts A and B and usually Part D into one private plan. You cannot have both a Medigap policy and a Medicare Advantage plan. The sheet on this page shows the two roads side by side on one page.
What is on the sheet?
- Original Medicare (Parts A and B) as the starting point.
- Option 1, Original Medicare plus a Medigap policy and a Part D drug plan, and Option 2, Medicare Advantage, side by side.
- How doctor choice differs: Original Medicare lets you see any doctor or hospital that takes Medicare, while many Medicare Advantage plans use networks.
- A reminder that Original Medicare and Medigap have no provider network, while Part D plans have pharmacy networks.
- The kinds of extra benefits some Medicare Advantage plans add, such as dental, vision, hearing and fitness.
- The key enrollment dates, including the Annual Enrollment Period, October 15 to December 7.
The sheet explains how the options are built. It does not recommend a plan and it does not list the plans in your area.
How is Original Medicare different from Medicare Advantage?
| Original Medicare (+ Medigap + Part D) | Medicare Advantage (Part C) | |
|---|---|---|
| Who provides it | The federal government provides Parts A and B. Medigap and Part D are sold by private companies. | A private company approved by Medicare provides one plan that includes Parts A and B and usually Part D. |
| Doctors and hospitals | Any provider in the U.S. that accepts Medicare. | Usually a plan network. Rules differ by plan type. |
| Extra benefits | Not included in Parts A and B. Medigap helps pay some of the costs Original Medicare leaves. | Some plans add benefits such as vision, hearing and dental. |
| Yearly spending limit | None in Original Medicare alone. A Medigap policy can help limit what you pay. | Plans have a yearly limit on your out-of-pocket costs for Parts A and B services. |
Source: Medicare.gov, “How does Medicare work?” and “How Medigap works.” Details vary by plan.
Where do I find the official 2027 costs?
The sheet leaves dollar amounts out so it never goes out of date. CMS publishes the Part A and Part B amounts each fall and the Part D deductible and out-of-pocket limit each spring. Look up the official figures on Medicare.gov, or ask a licensed agent to walk you through what applies to you.
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Common questions
When is the Medicare Annual Enrollment Period?
October 15 to December 7 each year. Coverage you choose during that period starts January 1 of the next year, and the plan must receive your request by December 7.
What is the difference between Medigap and Medicare Advantage?
Medigap is a private policy that works alongside Original Medicare and helps pay some of the costs Original Medicare leaves. Medicare Advantage is a private plan that replaces how you get Parts A and B. You can buy Medigap or join a Medicare Advantage plan, but you cannot have both.
Do I need a Part D drug plan?
Drug coverage is optional, but if you go 63 days or more without Medicare drug coverage or other creditable drug coverage after you are first eligible, you may owe a late enrollment penalty of 1% of the national base premium for each full month you went without, for as long as you have drug coverage.
Does the sheet recommend a plan?
No. It explains how the options are built. A licensed agent can check your doctors and prescriptions against the plans available where you live.
Why does the sheet not show dollar amounts?
Premiums, deductibles and limits change every year. CMS publishes the Part A and Part B amounts each fall and the Part D deductible and out-of-pocket limit each spring. The sheet points you to Medicare.gov so you always see the current figures.
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Sources
Public sources this page relies on. Rules and amounts can change, so check the source before you act.
- Medicare.gov: How does Medicare work?
- Medicare.gov: How Medigap works
- Medicare.gov: Joining a plan (Open Enrollment Period)
- Medicare.gov: Avoid late enrollment penalties
Important disclosures
We do not offer every plan available in your area. Currently we represent 15 organizations which offer 114 products in your area. Please contact Medicare.gov or 1-800-MEDICARE to get information on all of your options. Counts shown are for San Diego County, 2027. Organizations and plans vary by county and state; we are licensed in additional states, so ask us for the count where you live. For life, dental and other non-Medicare coverage we work with additional carriers not included in these numbers.
My Legacy Management is not affiliated with or endorsed by the U.S. government or the federal Medicare program.
This page is educational only. It is not medical, legal, tax, or financial advice, and it is not an offer of coverage or a recommendation of any particular plan.
Plan availability, benefits, premiums, networks, formularies, cost sharing, and eligibility rules vary by carrier, by plan, by county, and by year, and they are subject to change. Confirm the details of any plan in its official plan documents before enrolling.