Medicare Open Enrollment 2027: An Adams County Checklist
Adams County has 36 Medicare Advantage plans for 2027, down from 43, and most renewing plans raised their out-of-pocket maximum. Use this step-by-step checklist before December 7, 2026.
Key takeaways
- Medicare open enrollment for 2027 runs October 15 to December 7, 2026. Changes start January 1, 2027.
- Adams County has 36 Medicare Advantage plans for 2027 from 10 carriers, down from 43 plans in 2026. Special Needs Plans add 28 more.
- 21 of the 32 plans offered in both years raised their in-network out-of-pocket maximum. Only 1 lowered it.
- 30 of the 36 plans have no monthly premium for Parts C and D combined (33 have a $0 Part C premium), and 25 of the 30 include drug coverage. You still pay the Part B premium.
- CMS published 2027 star ratings on October 8, 2026; the tables here still show each plan’s 2026 rating until our data snapshot is refreshed, so check a plan’s 2027 rating on Medicare.gov Plan Finder. Compare on doctors, drugs and the out-of-pocket maximum first.
If you live in Brighton, Commerce City, Thornton or anywhere else in Adams County, your 2027 Medicare Advantage choices are narrower and the worst-case costs are higher. The CMS 2027 plan file lists 36 plans in the county, down from 43, and the average in-network out-of-pocket maximum rose from $5,518 to $6,142.
None of that means your plan is wrong for you. It means this is a year to check, not a year to coast. Open enrollment runs October 15 to December 7, 2026, and whatever you choose starts January 1, 2027.
Here is the checklist Lisa Asmussen uses with clients at the Brighton office, step by step, with the Adams County numbers behind each step. Her approach is to ask questions, listen, and only then compare plans. You can do the same at your kitchen table.
What changed for Medicare Advantage in Adams County?
Fewer plans and higher out-of-pocket maximums. The county drops from 43 Medicare Advantage plans in 2026 to 36 in 2027, and from 11 carriers to 10. Clear Spring Health does not appear in the 2027 Adams County file.
- Medicare Advantage plans, 2026 to 2027
- 43 to 36
- average in-network out-of-pocket maximum
- $5,518 to $6,142
- renewing plans that raised their maximum
- 21 of 32
- highest in-network maximum, 2027
- $9,850
11 plan IDs in the 2026 file are not in the 2027 file, and 4 new IDs appeared. Some are renamed or renumbered plans rather than true exits. These counts cover standard Medicare Advantage plans only. Our Adams County page counts plans with drug coverage and includes Special Needs Plans, so its counts of plans ending, merging and new are different. If yours changed, your plan should have written to you, either with an Annual Notice of Change that names the plan you are moving into, or with a non-renewal letter.
| Plan type | Plans | $0 Parts C and D premium | Average maximum | Maximum range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HMO | 10 | 10 | $6,000 | $4,450 to $9,850 |
| HMO-POS | 12 | 9 | $5,192 | $3,300 to $9,850 |
| PPO | 14 | 11 | $7,057 | $4,900 to $9,500 |
Step 1: What should I read first?
Your Annual Notice of Change. Every Medicare Advantage and Part D plan had to mail it by September 30, 2026. It lists what changes on January 1, 2027, side by side with this year.
- Monthly premium, on top of the Part B premium ($202.90 a month in 2026).
- In-network out-of-pocket maximum, your worst-case yearly cost for covered medical care.
- Hospital and specialist copays. Inpatient copays are often charged per day.
- Drug deductible and tiers for each of your prescriptions.
- Extras you use: dental, vision, hearing and over-the-counter allowances.
Our post on reading your 2027 Annual Notice of Change goes line by line.
Step 2: Are my doctors and drugs still covered?
Check every doctor and every prescription against the plan's 2027 lists, not this year's. Networks and drug lists change on January 1, and the 2027 versions are the only ones that tell you what will happen.
- List your doctors, including specialists and your preferred hospital. Search each one by name in the plan's 2027 provider directory, and ask the office to confirm.
- List your prescriptions with the dose. Look up each one on the 2027 drug list and note the tier and any prior authorization.
- Name your pharmacy. Preferred pharmacies can mean lower copays.
- Note what changed. That short list is what you compare against other plans.
Step 3: What is my worst-case cost for 2027?
Add 12 months of plan premium to the plan's in-network out-of-pocket maximum. That is your ceiling for covered medical care in a bad year. In Adams County, 2027 maximums run from $3,300 to $9,850, with a median of $6,200. Drug costs are capped separately at $2,400 for 2027.
Source: CMS landscape files, CY2026 and CY2027, Adams County non-SNP plans.
A higher maximum matters most if you expect surgery, a hospital stay or ongoing treatment. If it does, look at the plan's inpatient copays, or consider whether a Medicare Supplement or a hospital indemnity plan belongs in the conversation.
Step 4: Are $0 premium plans worth a look?
They can be, as long as the rest of the plan fits. 30 of the 36 standard Adams County plans have no monthly premium for Parts C and D combined in 2027, and 33 have a $0 Part C premium (the difference is plans that charge only a drug premium). Of the 30, 25 include Part D drug coverage and 5 do not. A $0 premium plan still has copays, a deductible on some services and an out-of-pocket maximum, and you keep paying Part B.
Questions for a $0 premium plan
- What is the out-of-pocket maximum?
- What is the daily hospital copay?
- Are my doctors in the 2027 network?
- What tier are my drugs on?
Questions for a plan with a premium
- What do I get for the premium: a lower maximum, lower copays, a broader network?
- How much is the drug deductible?
- Would a Medigap plan cost about the same?
- Does it cover the extras I use?
If you have Medicare and Health First Colorado, or a chronic condition such as diabetes or heart failure, ask about Special Needs Plans. Adams County has 28 of them for 2027, counted separately from the 36 above.
Step 5: How do I compare and enroll before December 7?
Narrow it to two or three plans that cover your doctors and drugs, compare the yearly total, then enroll by December 7, 2026. Joining a new plan ends your old one automatically on January 1.
The bottom line
Adams County has fewer Medicare Advantage plans for 2027 (36, down from 43), and 21 of 32 renewing plans raised their out-of-pocket maximum. Read your Annual Notice of Change, check every doctor and drug against the 2027 lists, work out your worst-case year, and compare before December 7, 2026.
Frequently asked questions
When is Medicare open enrollment for 2027 in Adams County?
October 15 to December 7, 2026, the same as everywhere in Colorado. Changes start January 1, 2027.
How many Medicare Advantage plans are in Adams County for 2027?
36 plans from 10 carriers, not counting 28 Special Needs Plans, according to the CMS 2027 landscape file. That is down from 43 plans in 2026.
What happens if I do nothing during open enrollment?
If your plan is renewing, you stay in it for 2027 with the changes in your Annual Notice of Change. If your plan is not renewing, read the letter: it explains your Special Enrollment Period and what happens on January 1.
Can I change plans after December 7?
If you are in a Medicare Advantage plan on January 1, 2027, you can make one change between January 1 and March 31, 2027. Other changes need a Special Enrollment Period.
Sources
- CMS Medicare Advantage and Part D Landscape, Contract Year 2027 Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
- CMS Medicare Advantage and Part D Landscape, Contract Year 2026 Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
- Medicare & You 2027 handbook Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
Please note: We do not offer every plan available in your area. Currently we represent 10 organizations which offer 106 products in your area. Please contact Medicare.gov or 1-800-MEDICARE to get information on all of your options.Headwaters Health and Wealth is not connected with or endorsed by the United States government or the federal Medicare program. Medicare has neither endorsed nor reviewed this information. This article is general information, not medical, tax or legal advice.
