The 2027 Medicare Advantage Landscape: SNP Growth Continues as the Market Recalibrates
The 2027 Medicare Advantage landscape points to a market that continues to evolve—not simply through changes in the total number of plans, but through a meaningful shift in plan type, market strategy and geographic presence.
While overall plan offerings declined slightly compared with 2026, the more significant story is what is happening beneath that total. Non-SNP offerings continue to contract, SNPs are taking a larger share of the market, and major national organizations continue to make deliberate portfolio decisions.
For health plans, the 2027 landscape reinforces the need to look beyond growth alone. Organizations will need to consider where they compete, which populations they serve, and whether their clinical, operational and compliance infrastructure is prepared to support an increasingly SNP-focused market.
SNPs Continue to Reshape the Market
One of the clearest trends in the 2027 landscape is the continued expansion of Chronic Condition Special Needs Plans (C-SNPs).
C-SNP offerings increased by nearly 198 plans, or 36%, while D-SNP offerings decreased by approximately 33 plans, or 3%.
SNPs now account for approximately 35% of plans in the market, representing a considerable shift from just a few years ago.
Several organizations are contributing to that growth. Devoted expanded its C-SNP offerings from 122 in 2026 to 255 in 2027, while Aetna added 29 additional C-SNP plans compared with 2026.
At the same time, the number of organizations entering the SNP market remains limited. Only three new organizationsare offering SNPs in 2027, while nine organizations are no longer offering SNP plans, primarily as a result of broader Medicare Advantage exits.
The result is not simply “more SNPs.” It is a market in which specialized plan design and the ability to effectively serve higher-need populations are becoming increasingly important.
Non-SNP Plans Continue to Contract
The shift toward SNPs is occurring alongside continued reductions in traditional non-SNP offerings.
PPO plans continue to decline while HMO plans continue to gain ground, and several large national organizations are reducing their non-SNP portfolios.
For example, HCSC reduced its total plan offerings from 180 in 2026 to 113 in 2027.
These changes suggest continued portfolio discipline across the industry. Health plans are making increasingly deliberate decisions about the products, markets and populations where they believe they can compete sustainably.
Geography Matters
The 2027 landscape also varies considerably by state.
Missouri, Tennessee and Arizona experienced some of the largest percentage increases in plan offerings.
Meanwhile, several northern states—including Minnesota, Montana, North Dakota and Wyoming—experienced some of the largest decreases.
For organizations evaluating growth opportunities, market expansion or product strategy, national trends only tell part of the story. Understanding the competitive dynamics at the state, county, product and population level will be increasingly important.
What the 2027 Landscape Means for Health Plans
The 2027 CMS landscape represents more than an annual change in plan counts. It reflects a broader recalibration of incentives, tightening of quality expectations and continued restructuring of benefits and product strategies.
And as SNPs become a larger part of the market, growth brings additional considerations. Organizations need to ensure that their Model of Care, care management, clinical operations, compliance infrastructure, data, quality programs and member experience can support the populations they intend to serve.
The upcoming CMS crosswalk file will provide another important piece of the picture by helping quantify the potential enrollment impact of plan exits, consolidations and transitions. While that analysis is still ahead, the changes reflected in the landscape file suggest the enrollment implications could be significant.
Turning 2027 Market Change Into Action
For health plans, now is the time to translate the landscape data into decisions.
At Alerion Advisors, we work with Medicare Advantage organizations across strategy, operations, compliance, quality, clinical execution and audit readiness. Whether your organization is expanding its SNP footprint, evaluating new markets, reassessing its product portfolio or strengthening the infrastructure behind an existing SNP program, our team can help turn market intelligence into an actionable plan.
Our support can include market and product strategy, SNP Model of Care gap analyses and implementation support, clinical and care management operations, compliance assessments, audit readiness, quality improvement and operational performance.
Planning for 2027? Let’s talk.
Connect with Alerion Advisors to discuss what the changing Medicare Advantage landscape means for your organization—and where there may be opportunities to strengthen performance, reduce risk and prepare for what’s next.
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