Plan vs plan · Lowndes County, AL · 2027 plan year
Blue Advantage Complete (PPO) vs AARP Medicare Advantage Essentials from UHC AL-3 (HMO-POS)
Medicare.gov compares Medicare Advantage plans with each other. This page also shows Original Medicare, so you can see the full trade-off: premiums, copays, the yearly limit, extra benefits, and the rules about doctors and approvals.
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Blue Advantage Complete (PPO)
- Plan premium
- $39.50 a month
- Yearly limit, in network
- $6,000
- 2027 star rating
- 4 of 5
- Prior authorization needed for
- 5 services
AARP Medicare Advantage Essentials from UHC AL-3 (HMO-POS)
- Plan premium
- $0 a month
- Yearly limit, in network
- $6,300
- 2027 star rating
- 3.5 of 5
- Prior authorization needed for
- 24 services
In most states, including Alabama, you cannot count on getting Medigap later
You can buy any Medigap plan with no health questions in the 6 months that start when you are 65 or older and have Part B. After that, a Medigap company in Alabama can ask about your health. It can say no, or it can charge you more. So if you join a Medicare Advantage plan now, you may not be able to get Medigap later.
One exception is the trial right. If you joined Medicare Advantage when you first got Medicare at 65, or you left a Medigap plan to try Medicare Advantage for the first time, you can switch back within 12 months. Then you can buy a Medigap plan with no health questions.
Read about Medigap rights on Medicare.govYour yearly cost, side by side
Move the controls to match your year. Totals include premiums, the Part B premium, copays, and drug costs.
Want to check your exact drugs? Medicare.gov lets you enter each drug and shows what each plan charges for it. Enter your drugs on Medicare.gov
We have no Medigap Plan G price for a 65-year-old woman in Lowndes County. Enter the monthly price from your quote, or check Medigap prices for ZIP 36752 on Medicare.gov.
Original Medicare
We have no Medigap Plan G price for a 65-year-old woman here, so we cannot show this total yet. Enter your quote above to see it. Check Medigap prices on Medicare.gov
Blue Advantage Complete (PPO)
PPO from Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama
$5,896 a year
- Premiums
- $2,988
- Medical costs
- $1,272
- Drugs
- $1,637
Most you can pay in a bad year, before drugs: $8,988.
AARP Medicare Advantage Essentials from UHC AL-3 (HMO-POS)
HMO-POS from UnitedHealthcare
$5,865 a year
- Premiums
- $2,514
- Medical costs
- $1,365
- Drugs
- $1,986
Most you can pay in a bad year, before drugs: $8,814.
With these settings, AARP Medicare Advantage Essentials from UHC AL-3 (HMO-POS) costs about $31 less a year than Blue Advantage Complete (PPO).
These are estimates, not quotes. Check every number with Medicare (Medicare.gov or 1-800-MEDICARE) and with the plan before you choose. What you pay depends on your doctors and hospitals, your drugs and pharmacy, and the care you use. Drug costs use typical prices for generic and brand-name drugs. Original Medicare amounts are 2027 projections from the 2026 Medicare Trustees Report. CMS sets the final amounts in November.
Text us about this comparisonWhat you pay each time you get care
In-network costs for one visit or one stay. The Original Medicare amounts follow your Medigap choice above: Plan G.
Primary doctor visit
Original Medicare + Medigap Plan G
$0
after the $292 yearly Part B deductible
Blue Advantage Complete (PPO)
$6
AARP Medicare Advantage Essentials from UHC AL-3 (HMO-POS)
$0
Specialist visit
Original Medicare + Medigap Plan G
$0
after the $292 yearly Part B deductible
Blue Advantage Complete (PPO)
$10-$35
AARP Medicare Advantage Essentials from UHC AL-3 (HMO-POS)
$0-$50
Prior authorization
Lab tests
Original Medicare + Medigap Plan G
$0
most Medicare-covered tests
Blue Advantage Complete (PPO)
$0 copay
AARP Medicare Advantage Essentials from UHC AL-3 (HMO-POS)
$0
Prior authorization
MRI or CT scan
Original Medicare + Medigap Plan G
$0
after the $292 yearly Part B deductible
Blue Advantage Complete (PPO)
$120
Prior authorizationAARP Medicare Advantage Essentials from UHC AL-3 (HMO-POS)
$0-$320
Prior authorization
Emergency room
Original Medicare + Medigap Plan G
$0
after the $292 yearly Part B deductible
Blue Advantage Complete (PPO)
$130
AARP Medicare Advantage Essentials from UHC AL-3 (HMO-POS)
$130
Urgent care
Original Medicare + Medigap Plan G
$0
after the $292 yearly Part B deductible
Blue Advantage Complete (PPO)
$6-$35
AARP Medicare Advantage Essentials from UHC AL-3 (HMO-POS)
$0-$50
Outpatient surgery
Original Medicare + Medigap Plan G
$0
after the $292 yearly Part B deductible
Blue Advantage Complete (PPO)
$0-$325
AARP Medicare Advantage Essentials from UHC AL-3 (HMO-POS)
$0-$405
Prior authorization
Ground ambulance
Original Medicare + Medigap Plan G
$0
after the $292 yearly Part B deductible
Blue Advantage Complete (PPO)
$420
AARP Medicare Advantage Essentials from UHC AL-3 (HMO-POS)
$350
Prior authorization
Hospital stay, 5 days
Original Medicare + Medigap Plan G
$0
Plan G pays the $1,788 Part A deductible
Blue Advantage Complete (PPO)
$1,925
for a 5-day stay
AARP Medicare Advantage Essentials from UHC AL-3 (HMO-POS)
$2,275
for a 5-day stay
Prior authorization
See every cost in one table
| What you pay in network | Original Medicare + Medigap Plan G | Blue Advantage Complete (PPO) | AARP Medicare Advantage Essentials from UHC AL-3 (HMO-POS) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly premium | Part B $209.50 + Medigap Plan G at the price of your quote + drug plan $5.30 | $39.50 + Part B $209.50 | $0 + Part B $209.50 |
| Yearly limit on what you pay | You pay the $292 Part B deductible. Plan G pays the rest. | $6,000 in network; $10,000 in and out of network | $6,300 in network |
| Medical deductible | $292 Part B. Plan G pays the $1,788 Part A deductible. | $295 | $0 |
| Primary doctor visit | $0, after the $292 yearly Part B deductible | $6 copay | $0 copay |
| Specialist visit | $0, after the $292 yearly Part B deductible | $10-$35 copay | $0-$50 copayPrior authorization |
| Lab tests | $0, most Medicare-covered tests | $0 copay | $0 copayPrior authorization |
| MRI or CT scan | $0, after the $292 yearly Part B deductible | $120 copayPrior authorization | $0-$320 copayPrior authorization |
| X-rays | $0, after the $292 yearly Part B deductible | $20 copayPrior authorization | $30 copayPrior authorization |
| Emergency room | $0, after the $292 yearly Part B deductible | $130 copay | $130 copay |
| Urgent care | $0, after the $292 yearly Part B deductible | $6-$35 copay | $0-$50 copay |
| Outpatient hospital | $0, after the $292 yearly Part B deductible | $0-$380 copay | $0-$455 copayPrior authorization |
| Surgery center | $0, after the $292 yearly Part B deductible | $0-$325 copay | $0-$405 copayPrior authorization |
| Ground ambulance | $0, after the $292 yearly Part B deductible | $420 copay | $350 copayPrior authorization |
| Hospital stay | $0, Plan G pays the $1,788 Part A deductible | $385 per day for days 1-7; $0 per day for days 8-90 | $455 per day for days 1-6; $0 per day for days 7-90Prior authorization |
| Skilled nursing facility | $0, Plan G pays days 21-100 | $10 per day for days 1-20; $221 per day for days 21-100Prior authorization | $0 per day for days 1-20; $221 per day for days 21-100Prior authorization |
| Mental health visit | $0, after the $292 yearly Part B deductible | $6-$35 copay | $0-$25 copayPrior authorization |
| Physical therapy | $0, after the $292 yearly Part B deductible | $35 copayPrior authorization | $45 copayPrior authorization |
| Home health care | $0, Medicare-covered home health | $0 copay | $0 copayPrior authorization |
| Medical equipment | $0, after the $292 yearly Part B deductible | 18% coinsurance | 20% coinsurancePrior authorization |
| Part B drugs | $0 after the $292 Part B deductible | 0%-20% coinsurance | 0%-20% coinsurancePrior authorization |
| Drug deductible (Part D) | $700 with Wellcare Value Script (PDP) | $620 | $685 |
| Drug tiers (one month, retail) | Generic: $0 copayPreferred Brand: 25% coinsuranceNon-Preferred Drug: 50% coinsuranceInjectable Drugs: 15% coinsuranceSpecialty Tier: 25% coinsuranceSelect Care Drugs: $11 copay | Preferred Generic: $0 copayGeneric: $5 copayPreferred Brand: 17% coinsuranceNon-Preferred Drug: 39% coinsuranceSpecialty Tier: 26% coinsurance | Preferred Generic: $0 copayGeneric: $0 copayPreferred Brand: 22% coinsuranceNon-Preferred Drug: 29% coinsuranceSpecialty Tier: 26% coinsurance |
Not sure which of these costs apply to you?
Text us what you have now. We will help you read this comparison and check it with Medicare.gov.
A higher drug plan premium is not, by itself, a reason to switch
With Original Medicare, you buy a separate drug plan. In Alabama, 11 drug plans are for sale for 2027, from $5.30 to $204.60 a month. Half of them cost $110.40 a month or less.
- Every 2027 drug plan limits what you pay for covered drugs to $2,400 a year. The drug coverage in Medicare Advantage plans has the same limit.
- The premium is one part of your yearly cost. The calculator above adds premiums, medical costs, and drug costs, so you can see the whole year.
- A Medicare Advantage plan can cost less in a light year. But you also take on its network and prior authorization rules, and you may not be able to get Medigap later.
- If your income is limited, Extra Help can pay most of your drug plan premium and drug costs. Check Extra Help at SSA.gov
Doctors, referrals, and prior authorization
Cost is one side. The other side is how you get care. These rules come from the CMS plan files. Prior authorization means the plan must approve a service before you get it.
Original Medicare
- Any doctor or hospital in the U.S. that takes Medicare
- No referrals
- Prior authorization only for a short list of services
Blue Advantage Complete (PPO)
PPO
- The plan has a network. You can go outside it, but you pay more.
- No referral needed to see a specialist.
Prior authorization for 5 services
MRI or CT, Radiation therapy, Physical therapy, Occupational therapy, Skilled nursing
AARP Medicare Advantage Essentials from UHC AL-3 (HMO-POS)
HMO-POS
- You use the plan network. Some care outside the network is covered at a higher cost.
- You need a referral to see a specialist.
Prior authorization for 24 services
Specialist visits, Diagnostic tests, MRI or CT, Radiation therapy, Outpatient hospital, Observation stay, Surgery center, Ambulance, Mental health visits, Psychiatrist visits, Physical therapy, Occupational therapy, Home health, Partial hospitalization, Cardiac rehab, Pulmonary rehab, Medical equipment, Prosthetics, Diabetic supplies, Dialysis, Substance use care, Hospital stay, Skilled nursing, Part B drugs
Extra benefits
| Extra benefit | Original Medicare | Blue Advantage Complete (PPO) | AARP Medicare Advantage Essentials from UHC AL-3 (HMO-POS) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dental | No | Comprehensive, up to $650 a year | Comprehensive, up to $750 a year |
| Eye exam | No | Yes | Yes |
| Glasses or contacts | No | Yes, $100 allowance | Yes, $200 allowance |
| Hearing aids | No | Yes, copays from $499 | Yes, up to $700 |
| Over-the-counter allowance | No | No | No |
| Fitness benefit | No | No | Yes |
| Rides to care | No | No | No |
| Meals after a hospital stay | No | No | Yes |
| Emergency care abroad | Plan G and Plan N pay 80% after a $250 deductible | Yes | No |
| Part B premium giveback | No | No | No |
What changed for 2027
Blue Advantage Complete (PPO)
Renewal Plan · 2026 plan H0104-012-0
- Monthly premium up from $36 to $40
- In-network out-of-pocket maximum up from $5,900 to $6,000
- Medical deductible up from $0 to $295
- Drug deductible up from $200 to $620
- Primary doctor visit: $5 copay to $6 copay
- Specialist visit: $30 copay to $10-$35 copay
- Urgent care: $5-$30 copay to $6-$35 copay
- Diagnostic radiology (MRI, CT): $95 copay to $120 copay
- Outpatient hospital: $0-$315 copay to $0-$380 copay
- Inpatient hospital: $290 per day for days 1-7; $0 per day for days 8-90 to $385 per day for days 1-7; $0 per day for days 8-90
- Skilled nursing facility: $0 per day for days 1-20; $218 per day for days 21-100 to $10 per day for days 1-20; $221 per day for days 21-100
- Dental maximum up from $500 to $650
AARP Medicare Advantage Essentials from UHC AL-3 (HMO-POS)
Renewal Plan with SAR · 2026 plan H2802-041-0
- In-network out-of-pocket maximum up from $5,900 to $6,300
- Drug deductible up from $440 to $685
- Specialist visit: $0-$35 copay to $0-$50 copay
- Diagnostic radiology (MRI, CT): $0-$240 copay to $0-$320 copay
- Outpatient hospital: $0-$395 copay to $0-$455 copay
- Ground ambulance: $275 copay to $350 copay
- Inpatient hospital: $395 per day for days 1-6; $0 per day for days 7-90 to $455 per day for days 1-6; $0 per day for days 7-90
- Skilled nursing facility: $0 per day for days 1-20; $218 per day for days 21-100 to $0 per day for days 1-20; $221 per day for days 21-100
- Dental maximum down from $2,000 to $750
- Eyewear allowance down from $300 to $200
- OTC allowance removed
- Worldwide emergency coverage removed
- Overall star rating down from 4 to 3.5
More 2027 plans in Lowndes County
- VIVA Medicare Plus (HMO), H0154-015 (page for Calhoun County, AL)
- HealthSpring Preferred (HMO), H4513-077 (page for Montgomery County, AL)
- HumanaChoice H5216-269 (PPO) (page for Mobile County, AL)
- Humana Gold Plus H5619-089 (HMO) (page for Jefferson County, AL)
- Humana Gold Plus H4461-078 (HMO) (page for Jefferson County, AL)
- Humana Gold Plus H4461-079 (HMO) (page for Jefferson County, AL)
- Humana USAA Honor Giveback (PPO), H5216-236 (page for Jefferson County, AL)
- HumanaChoice H7617-091 (PPO) (page for Mobile County, AL)
County guide: 2027 plans in Lowndes CountyState guide: Alabama
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Sources and method
Plan data comes from the CMS 2027 Plan Benefit Package and landscape files. The data is from 2026-10-10. We checked a sample of plans field by field against Medicare.gov. Original Medicare amounts are the 2027 projections in the 2026 Medicare Trustees Report (Tables V.E1 and V.E2). CMS sets the final amounts in November. We do not have a Medigap price for Lowndes County, AL. So the Original Medicare total needs your own Medigap quote. You can look up prices for ZIP 36752 on Medicare.gov. Totals use typical Medicare-allowed amounts for each service and typical drug prices.
- Blue Advantage Complete (PPO) on Medicare.gov · plan website · drug list · doctor directory
- AARP Medicare Advantage Essentials from UHC AL-3 (HMO-POS) on Medicare.gov · plan website · drug list · doctor directory
- Medigap prices for ZIP 36752 on Medicare.gov
- CMS Plan Benefit Package files, 2027
- CMS 2027 landscape files (premiums and limits)
- CMS 2027 plan crosswalk
- CMS 2027 Star Ratings
- 2026 Medicare Trustees Report: projected 2027 Part A and Part B amounts (Tables V.E1 and V.E2)
- CMS 2026 Part A and Part B amounts
- Medicare.gov: Medigap guaranteed issue rights
These are estimates, not quotes, and they are for education only. Check every number with Medicare and with the plan before you choose. What you pay depends on your doctors and hospitals, your drugs and pharmacy, and the care you use. Plans can change their benefits, premiums, drug lists, and networks each year.
Pinnie is not an insurance agent or broker and does not sell Medicare plans. Pinnie is not connected with or endorsed by the U.S. government or the federal Medicare program. For all your options, visit Medicare.gov or call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227), TTY 1-877-486-2048.