What 2027 Medicare Advantage Premium Averages Do and Do Not Mean

A national average can make a headline sound like a personal price quote. It is not. For 2027, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) projects that the weighted average monthly premium across Medicare Advantage plans will fall from $14.37 in 2026 to $12.00, a 16.5% decline. That projection includes plans with drug coverage and Special Needs Plans. Read the CMS announcement.

Your own plan’s premium may move differently. Even if it falls, the premium is only one part of the cost of coverage. Compare the specific plans available where you live with the doctors, medicines, and care you expect to use.

What the national number describes

The CMS figure is a weighted average projection across Medicare Advantage plans, not the price of every plan or the amount each enrollee will save. Weighting means that plans do not necessarily contribute equally to the average. A nationwide summary can move in one direction while an individual plan’s premium moves in another. It is also a projection, rather than a statement of each person’s actual spending during 2027.

CMS separately reports a projected average Part D premium for Medicare Advantage plans that include drug coverage, after Medicare Advantage rebates. That is a different measure from the overall Medicare Advantage premium average; don’t add the two national figures together as if they were your personal bill. The separate national projection for stand-alone Part D plans describes another market, not every Advantage plan.

Look beyond the monthly plan premium

A plan with a low or $0 plan premium may still leave you with other costs. Medicare explains that Medicare Advantage costs can depend on the plan, the services you use, deductibles, copayments or coinsurance, and whether you follow the plan’s network rules. You generally still pay your Part B premium, although some plans may help pay part of it. Check the specific plan documents for your circumstances. Medicare’s health-plan cost guide explains the factors.

When comparing options, write down the plan premium and any other applicable premiums. Add the deductible and the amounts you expect to pay for your usual visits and prescriptions. This is an estimate, not a guarantee: unexpected care and changes in use can make actual spending different. Review the plan’s annual out-of-pocket limit and which services count toward it; do not assume it caps every expense, including prescription drugs.

Check your doctors and medicines

A premium average says nothing about whether a particular doctor participates in your plan. Check each plan’s provider directory, then ask your doctors and preferred facilities about the exact plan and location. Ask the plan about conflicting information and the cost or coverage consequences of going outside its network. Rules can differ by plan and by type of service.

Make a list of each prescription, dose, quantity and pharmacy. Compare the plan’s drug list, restrictions, deductible and estimated pharmacy costs for those medicines. Medicare notes that plans use formularies and that covered drugs and cost sharing can differ. If a medicine is missing or a restriction is unclear, ask the plan and your prescriber about your options; don’t change a prescription on the strength of an estimate alone. See Medicare’s explanation of drug coverage.

A practical comparison for 2027

Gather your current plan’s Annual Notice of Change and plan documents. Note any premium, benefit, network or drug-coverage changes that affect you.
Open Medicare’s official Plan Compare tool and select the 2027 coverage year and your location. Compare your current option with locally available alternatives.
Enter the same medication list and pharmacies for each comparison. Save or print the results, and check the plan’s current documents for details.
Verify important providers and expected services with the plan and providers. Compare deductibles, cost sharing and limits as well as premiums.
If you need help, contact Medicare or a State Health Insurance Assistance Program. Ask about your individual situation before changing coverage.

Medicare Open Enrollment for 2027 coverage runs October 15 through December 7, 2026. The open-enrollment guide explains what changes may be available. Our open-enrollment checklist walks through the review in more detail.

Bottom line

The national projection supplies context, not a personalized savings estimate. The more useful question is what a specific plan will cost and cover for your providers, prescriptions and expected care. Compare the details before deciding to keep or change coverage.