Plan vs plan · Kent County, RI · 2027 plan year
BlueCHiP for Medicare Enhanced (HMO-POS) vs Aetna Medicare Signature (PPO)
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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BlueCHiP for Medicare Enhanced (HMO-POS)
- Plan premium
- $39 a month
- Yearly limit, in network
- $6,750
- 2027 star rating
- 3.5 of 5
- Prior authorization needed for
- 11 services
Aetna Medicare Signature (PPO)
- Plan premium
- $0 a month
- Yearly limit, in network
- $7,150
- 2027 star rating
- 4 of 5
- Prior authorization needed for
- 19 services
In Rhode Island, you can go back to Medigap once a year
Rhode Island lets Medicare Advantage members with steady coverage buy any Medigap plan from October 15 to December 7. Your Medigap coverage then starts on January 1.
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 Kent County. Enter the monthly price from your quote, or check Medigap prices for ZIP 02817 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
BlueCHiP for Medicare Enhanced (HMO-POS)
HMO-POS from Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island
$5,872 a year
- Premiums
- $2,982
- Medical costs
- $865
- Drugs
- $2,025
Most you can pay in a bad year, before drugs: $9,732.
Aetna Medicare Signature (PPO)
PPO from Aetna Medicare
$5,492 a year
- Premiums
- $2,514
- Medical costs
- $1,275
- Drugs
- $1,703
Most you can pay in a bad year, before drugs: $9,664.
With these settings, Aetna Medicare Signature (PPO) costs about $380 less a year than BlueCHiP for Medicare Enhanced (HMO-POS).
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
BlueCHiP for Medicare Enhanced (HMO-POS)
$0 copay
Aetna Medicare Signature (PPO)
$0
Specialist visit
Original Medicare + Medigap Plan G
$0
after the $292 yearly Part B deductible
BlueCHiP for Medicare Enhanced (HMO-POS)
$0-$40
Aetna Medicare Signature (PPO)
$0-$60
Lab tests
Original Medicare + Medigap Plan G
$0
most Medicare-covered tests
BlueCHiP for Medicare Enhanced (HMO-POS)
$0 copay
Prior authorizationAetna Medicare Signature (PPO)
$0-$10
Prior authorization
MRI or CT scan
Original Medicare + Medigap Plan G
$0
after the $292 yearly Part B deductible
BlueCHiP for Medicare Enhanced (HMO-POS)
$0-$200
Prior authorizationAetna Medicare Signature (PPO)
$0-$275
Prior authorization
Emergency room
Original Medicare + Medigap Plan G
$0
after the $292 yearly Part B deductible
BlueCHiP for Medicare Enhanced (HMO-POS)
$130
Aetna Medicare Signature (PPO)
$130
Urgent care
Original Medicare + Medigap Plan G
$0
after the $292 yearly Part B deductible
BlueCHiP for Medicare Enhanced (HMO-POS)
$50
Aetna Medicare Signature (PPO)
$50
Outpatient surgery
Original Medicare + Medigap Plan G
$0
after the $292 yearly Part B deductible
BlueCHiP for Medicare Enhanced (HMO-POS)
$0-$350
Aetna Medicare Signature (PPO)
$0-$285
Prior authorization
Ground ambulance
Original Medicare + Medigap Plan G
$0
after the $292 yearly Part B deductible
BlueCHiP for Medicare Enhanced (HMO-POS)
$200
Prior authorizationAetna Medicare Signature (PPO)
$300
Prior authorization
Hospital stay, 5 days
Original Medicare + Medigap Plan G
$0
Plan G pays the $1,788 Part A deductible
BlueCHiP for Medicare Enhanced (HMO-POS)
$2,000
for a 5-day stay
Prior authorizationAetna Medicare Signature (PPO)
$1,975
for a 5-day stay
Prior authorization
See every cost in one table
| What you pay in network | Original Medicare + Medigap Plan G | BlueCHiP for Medicare Enhanced (HMO-POS) | Aetna Medicare Signature (PPO) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly premium | Part B $209.50 + Medigap Plan G at the price of your quote + drug plan $25.50 | $39 + 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. | $6,750 in network | $7,150 in network; $10,750 in and out of network |
| Medical deductible | $292 Part B. Plan G pays the $1,788 Part A deductible. | $0 | $0 |
| Primary doctor visit | $0, after the $292 yearly Part B deductible | $0 copay | $0 copay |
| Specialist visit | $0, after the $292 yearly Part B deductible | $0-$40 copay | $0-$60 copay |
| Lab tests | $0, most Medicare-covered tests | $0 copayPrior authorization | $0-$10 copayPrior authorization |
| MRI or CT scan | $0, after the $292 yearly Part B deductible | $0-$200 copayPrior authorization | $0-$275 copayPrior authorization |
| X-rays | $0, after the $292 yearly Part B deductible | $25 copayPrior authorization | $15 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 | $50 copay | $50 copay |
| Outpatient hospital | $0, after the $292 yearly Part B deductible | $0-$450 copayPrior authorization | $0-$436 copayPrior authorization |
| Surgery center | $0, after the $292 yearly Part B deductible | $0-$350 copay | $0-$285 copayPrior authorization |
| Ground ambulance | $0, after the $292 yearly Part B deductible | $200 copayPrior authorization | $300 copayPrior authorization |
| Hospital stay | $0, Plan G pays the $1,788 Part A deductible | $400 per day for days 1-6; $0 per day for days 7-90Prior authorization | $395 per day for days 1-7; $0 per day for days 8-90Prior authorization |
| Skilled nursing facility | $0, Plan G pays days 21-100 | $10 per day for days 1-20; $218 per day for days 21-45; $0 per day for days 46-100Prior authorization | $10 per day for days 1-20; $219 per day for days 21-100Prior authorization |
| Mental health visit | $0, after the $292 yearly Part B deductible | $0-$40 copay | $50 copayPrior authorization |
| Physical therapy | $0, after the $292 yearly Part B deductible | $0-$40 copayPrior authorization | $50 copay |
| Home health care | $0, Medicare-covered home health | $0 copayPrior authorization | $0 copayPrior authorization |
| Medical equipment | $0, after the $292 yearly Part B deductible | 20% coinsurancePrior authorization | 25% 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 Blue MedicareRx Value Plus (PDP) | $500 | $700 |
| Drug tiers (one month, retail) | Preferred Generic: $0 copayGeneric: $3 copayPreferred Brand: 17% coinsuranceNon-Preferred Drug: 35% coinsuranceSpecialty Tier: 25% coinsurance | Preferred Generic: $0 copayGeneric: $0 copayPreferred Brand: 25% coinsuranceNon-Preferred Drug: 30% coinsuranceSpecialty Tier: 28% coinsurance | Preferred Generic: $0 copayGeneric: $5 copayPreferred Brand: 17% coinsuranceNon-Preferred Drug: 28% coinsuranceSpecialty Tier: 25% 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 Rhode Island, 10 drug plans are for sale for 2027, from $13.30 to $284.70 a month. Half of them cost $114.75 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.
- 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
BlueCHiP for Medicare Enhanced (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 11 services
Diagnostic tests, MRI or CT, Radiation therapy, Outpatient hospital, Ambulance, Physical therapy, Occupational therapy, Home health, Medical equipment, Hospital stay, Skilled nursing
Aetna Medicare Signature (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 19 services
Diagnostic tests, MRI or CT, Radiation therapy, Outpatient hospital, Observation stay, Surgery center, Ambulance, Mental health visits, Psychiatrist visits, Home health, Partial hospitalization, Medical equipment, Prosthetics, Diabetic supplies, Dialysis, Substance use care, Hospital stay, Skilled nursing, Part B drugs
Extra benefits
| Extra benefit | Original Medicare | BlueCHiP for Medicare Enhanced (HMO-POS) | Aetna Medicare Signature (PPO) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dental | No | Comprehensive, up to $2,000 a year | Preventive only |
| Eye exam | No | Yes | Yes |
| Glasses or contacts | No | Yes, $200 allowance | Yes, $100 allowance |
| Hearing aids | No | Yes, copays from $300 | Yes, copays from $0 |
| Over-the-counter allowance | No | $100 a year | No |
| Fitness benefit | No | Yes | Yes |
| Rides to care | No | No | No |
| Meals after a hospital stay | No | No | No |
| Emergency care abroad | Plan G and Plan N pay 80% after a $250 deductible | Yes | Yes |
| Part B premium giveback | No | No | No |
What changed for 2027
BlueCHiP for Medicare Enhanced (HMO-POS)
Renewal Plan · 2026 plan H4152-013-0
- Monthly premium up from $35 to $39
- In-network out-of-pocket maximum up from $5,750 to $6,750
- Overall star rating down from 4 to 3.5
Aetna Medicare Signature (PPO)
Renewal Plan · 2026 plan H5521-375-0
- In-network out-of-pocket maximum up from $5,900 to $7,150
- Drug deductible up from $615 to $700
- Specialist visit: $0-$45 copay to $0-$60 copay
- Urgent care: $40 copay to $50 copay
- Diagnostic radiology (MRI, CT): $0-$145 copay to $0-$275 copay
- Outpatient hospital: $0-$295 copay to $0-$436 copay
- Ground ambulance: $280 copay to $300 copay
- Inpatient hospital: $295 per day for days 1-7; $0 per day for days 8-90 to $395 per day for days 1-7; $0 per day for days 8-90
- Skilled nursing facility: $10 per day for days 1-20; $208 per day for days 21-100 to $10 per day for days 1-20; $219 per day for days 21-100
- OTC allowance removed
- Meals after a hospital stay removed
- Overall star rating down from 4.5 to 4
More 2027 plans in Kent County
- BlueCHiP for Medicare Extra (HMO-POS), H4152-018 (page for Providence County, RI)
- AARP Medicare Advantage from UHC RI-0002 (HMO-POS), H5253-150 (page for Providence County, RI)
- Aetna Medicare Enhanced (PPO), H5521-449 (page for Providence County, RI)
- AARP Medicare Advantage from UHC RI-0001 (HMO-POS), H5253-148 (page for Providence County, RI)
- Aetna Medicare Eagle Giveback (PPO), H5521-296 (page for Fairfield County, CT)
- AARP Medicare Advantage from UHC RI-0003 (PPO), H8768-046 (page for Providence County, RI)
- BlueCHiP for Medicare Access (HMO-POS), H4152-022 (page for Providence County, RI)
- Aetna Medicare Prime Care (HMO-POS), H5793-019 (page for Providence County, RI)
County guide: 2027 plans in Kent CountyState guide: Rhode Island
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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 Kent County, RI. So the Original Medicare total needs your own Medigap quote. You can look up prices for ZIP 02817 on Medicare.gov. Totals use typical Medicare-allowed amounts for each service and typical drug prices.
- BlueCHiP for Medicare Enhanced (HMO-POS) on Medicare.gov · plan website · drug list · doctor directory
- Aetna Medicare Signature (PPO) on Medicare.gov · plan website · drug list · doctor directory
- Medigap prices for ZIP 02817 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.