FALL RIVER The average monthly premium for a Medicare Advantage plan in Massachusetts will rise from $36.19 this year to $37.80 in 2027, according to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, and the number of Advantage plans sold in the state drops from 103 to 97.
That runs against the national picture. CMS projects the weighted average Advantage premium across the country will fall from $14.37 to $12, a decline of 16.5%.
People with Medicare can compare plans and switch during open enrollment, which began Oct. 15 and ends Monday, Dec. 7. New coverage starts Jan. 1. CMS counts 1,516,549 people enrolled in Medicare in Massachusetts.
What changes for 2027
- Advantage plans Every person with Medicare in Massachusetts has access to an Advantage plan, including one with a $0 monthly premium, CMS says.
- Drug plans Ten stand-alone prescription drug plans are offered in the state for 2027. The lowest premium is $13.30 a month, and CMS says everyone now in a stand-alone plan can find one with a lower premium than they paid this year. Nationally, the average stand-alone premium is projected to go from $35.09 to $36.
- Drug cost cap The most a person pays out of pocket for covered Part D drugs in a year rises from $2,100 to $2,400 in 2027, and the standard deductible goes from $615 to $700, under limits CMS set in April.
If you change nothing
People who want to keep their current coverage do not need to re-enroll, CMS says. Costs and covered benefits can change from year to year, though, and CMS tells people to watch their mail for notices from Medicare and their plan about changes for 2027.
Medicare's online Plan Finder was updated with 2027 plans by Oct. 1, and the 2027 star ratings went up on or around Oct. 8. The 1-800-MEDICARE line answers 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Help with the cost
Two programs help people with limited income. Medicare Savings Programs can pay premiums and may also pay deductibles, coinsurance and copayments, and CMS says only about half of the people who qualify are enrolled. Extra Help helps pay Part D costs such as premiums, deductibles and cost sharing. In Massachusetts, 32.08% of people in stand-alone drug plans get Extra Help.
A separate option, the Medicare Prescription Payment Plan, lets people with Part D coverage spread their drug costs across the calendar year.
Free counseling in Fall River
Bristol Aging and Wellness, at 1 Father DeValles Blvd., Unit 8, in Fall River, runs SHINE (Serving the Health Insurance Needs of Everyone), which gives free, unbiased information and help with Medicare and other health insurance, including one-on-one counseling with trained counselors. Appointments are made by calling 508-676-5465. The agency's page also lists MassOptions at 800-243-4636.
Label: Reported by us, from the town's posted records.
Notes
Every figure comes from CMS: its Massachusetts open enrollment fact sheet of Sept. 28, its national release the same day, and the Part D table in its April payment notice. The counseling details come from Bristol Aging and Wellness's own SHINE page. We read them all on Oct. 26.
Corrections
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Sources (5)
- Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services: Medicare Open Enrollment in Massachusetts, 2027 (state by state fact sheets, Sept. 28, 2026)Massachusetts enrollment, Advantage premium and plan counts, stand-alone drug plans, lowest premium, Extra Help share, key dates, re-enrollment, Medicare Savings Programs and the Prescription Payment Plan. Read Oct. 26, 2026.
- CMS press release: Medicare Advantage and Medicare Prescription Drug Programs Expected to Remain Stable in 2027 (Sept. 28, 2026)National projected averages for Advantage and stand-alone Part D premiums; the 1-800-MEDICARE hours. Read Oct. 26, 2026.
- CMS: Announcement of Calendar Year 2027 Medicare Advantage Capitation Rates and Part C and Part D Payment Policies (April 6, 2026), Table V-22027 Part D standard deductible and out-of-pocket threshold. Read Oct. 26, 2026.
- Bristol Aging and Wellness: SHINEFree, unbiased Medicare counseling, appointment number, address and the MassOptions line. Read Oct. 26, 2026.
- Wikimedia Commons: New US Medicare Card Sample 2018Lead photo: a sample of the Medicare card, from Medicare.gov, public domain (U.S. government work). Read Oct. 26, 2026.