Medicare Advantage Plans New Jersey 2027: 72 Plans, PAAD Rules and Medigap Rights

Medicare Advantage plans New Jersey residents can choose for 2027 are fewer than this year: CMS counts 72, down from 85. The average premium dips from $23.37 to $20.09 a month, but it is still well above the national average. New Jersey also has a rule many shoppers miss: if you get help from PAAD, Medicaid or Extra Help, a plan without drug coverage can cost you that help. This guide uses CMS and New Jersey state sources to explain the changes, your Medigap rights and where to get free help.

Medicare Advantage plans New Jersey: the 2027 numbers

CMS published a New Jersey fact sheet on September 28, 2026. It says 1,842,581 people in New Jersey are enrolled in Medicare. Here are its figures:

A dash means the fact sheet gives no 2026 figure. Figures are from the CMS New Jersey fact sheet as of September 28, 2026, and are shown for illustration only. They are not quotes or offers, and they can change. Confirm current numbers with Medicare Plan Finder, New Jersey SHIP or a licensed agent.

What changed for Medicare Advantage plans New Jersey carriers offer

• 13 fewer plans. New Jersey drops from 85 to 72, about 15%. CMS projects the national count to change only slightly, from 5,553 to about 5,532.
• Premiums dip but stay high. The average falls $3.28 a month. CMS projects the national average to fall from $14.37 to $12.00, per its 2027 press release, so New Jersey’s $20.09 is well above it.
• $0 still available everywhere. CMS says 100% of people with Medicare in New Jersey can get a $0-premium plan.
• Drug plans. Eleven stand-alone drug plans, and 100% of current members can find one with a lower premium than in 2026.

Because the Medicare Advantage plans New Jersey offers carry an average premium well above the national figure, the gap between a $0 plan and a premium plan matters more here. A $0 premium still leaves the Part B premium ($202.90 a month in 2026, per CMS) and copays up to the plan’s out-of-pocket limit.

Which companies sold Medicare Advantage NJ plans, and how PAAD fits

New Jersey SHIP publishes a 2026 Medicare Advantage plan chart, dated October 28, 2025. A 2027 chart was not posted when we wrote this. The 2026 chart lists these companies: AARP Medicare Advantage from UnitedHealthcare, Aetna Medicare, AmeriHealth, Braven Health, Clover Health, HealthSpring, Humana, Jefferson Health Plans and Wellcare. It excludes special needs plans and PACE.

Listing a company is not a recommendation, and a plan sold in 2026 may not return in 2027. Use the chart to learn which companies serve your county, then confirm 2027 details in Plan Finder. Medicare Advantage NJ plan counts fell by 13, so check whether your county’s list changed.

The PAAD, Medicaid and Extra Help warning

The chart flags plans with no drug coverage: “MA-only plans do NOT work with LIS, Medicaid or PAAD.” For drug-covering plans, it shows a lower premium for people with that help. For example, one AARP plan at $62 a month is listed at $7.80 with Extra Help or Medicaid and $0 with PAAD, as published by New Jersey SHIP, October 28, 2025. If you get any of these, check that a plan includes drugs before you join.

PAAD prescription assistance and Medicare Advantage

Pharmaceutical Assistance to the Aged and Disabled (PAAD) is a New Jersey drug program. The state’s PAAD page says you qualify if you live in New Jersey, are 65 or older (or 18 to 64 and receiving Social Security disability), and your 2026 income is under $54,943 single or $62,390 married.

• Copays are $5 for each covered generic and $7 for each covered brand-name prescription.
• Medicare-eligible PAAD members must enroll in a Part D plan.
• Medicare Advantage members must add drug coverage; PAAD then pays toward the drug portion of the premium, up to the regional benchmark.

Limits are as published by the New Jersey Division of Aging Services for 2026 and are shown for illustration only. Call the PAAD hotline at 1-800-792-9745 to confirm. PAAD prescription assistance can make a drug-covering plan cheaper than its listed premium. When you compare Medicare Advantage plans New Jersey sells, look at the PAAD price column on SHIP’s chart, not just the full premium.

If your New Jersey plan is not renewing for 2027

With 13 fewer Medicare Advantage plans New Jersey members can choose from, some got non-renewal letters this fall. Medicare.gov says you can switch between December 8 and the last day of February. If you don’t choose, you return to Original Medicare when the plan ends. Pick by December 31 to keep drug coverage, and PAAD, without a gap. Our guide on what to do when a Medicare Advantage plan is not renewing covers each step.

Leaving Medicare Advantage in New Jersey: Medigap rules

New Jersey SHIP’s Medigap notes describe the windows. Medigap open enrollment is the first six months of Part B, when companies cannot use medical underwriting. Guaranteed issue rights also require companies to sell you a policy in situations such as a Medicare Advantage plan leaving Medicare or no longer giving care in your area. Medicare.gov says you can then buy any Medigap policy sold in your state, from 60 days before to 63 days after coverage ends.

These rights matter more this year because the count of Medicare Advantage plans New Jersey offers fell by 13. Outside those windows, companies can review your health. Our underwriting guide explains how. SHIP’s notes describe no birthday or anniversary rule; our birthday rule guide lists the states that have one.

Under 65 in New Jersey

New Jersey goes further than federal law. The Department of Banking and Insurance counts a 12-month window from Part B enrollment. At ages 50 to 64, companies selling Medigap to people 65 and older must offer a plan, priced no higher than for a 65-year-old under N.J.S.A. 17B:26A-13. Under 50, a contracted carrier, currently Horizon, offers coverage. Our page on Medicare supplement under 65 in New Jersey has the rates.

Hypothetical example: Medigap vs. a $0 plan in New Jersey

Hypothetical example. Frank, 65, lives in Trenton and is in his first six months of Part B. He compares two routes using published figures.

• Route A, Original Medicare: Part B $202.90 + Horizon Plan G $194.32 (NJ SHIP male age-65 chart, revised August 26, 2026) + the lowest drug plan $5.30 = $402.52 a month, or $402.52 x 12 = $4,830.24 a year.
• Route B, a $0-premium plan: Part B only, $202.90 x 12 = $2,434.80 a year.

Route B costs $4,830.24 − $2,434.80 = $2,395.44 less in premiums, but adds copays up to the plan’s out-of-pocket limit. Route A has few bills after premiums. Because Frank is in his window, he can choose Route A without health questions now; later he may not. The 2026 Part B premium is used because 2027’s was not yet announced. This is an illustration, not a quote.

How to compare Medicare Advantage plans New Jersey offers

Open Enrollment runs October 15 to December 7, 2026, with coverage from January 1, 2027, per CMS. Then:

1. List your care, including every drug with its dose.
2. Use Medicare Plan Finder and sort by estimated yearly cost.
3. Check drug coverage first if you get PAAD, Medicaid or Extra Help.
4. Call your doctors to confirm 2027 networks.
5. Compare out-of-pocket limits and star ratings. CMS posted 2027 star ratings on or around October 8, 2026.

Our Medicare enrollment calculator maps your windows, our IRMAA calculator estimates income-based surcharges, and our Medicare Part C guide explains plan types. The Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period, January 1 to March 31, lets people already in a plan make one change.

New Jersey SHIP counseling and other free help

The State Health Insurance Assistance Program, part of the Division of Aging Services, gives free help to New Jersey Medicare beneficiaries. New Jersey SHIP counseling is available in all 21 counties, by phone, online or in person, and counselors do not sell or recommend any company or plan. SHIP also publishes the Medigap, Medicare Advantage and Part D charts used on this page, and links to NJ Save for help with Medicare costs. New Jersey SHIP counseling is a good place to check whether PAAD prescription assistance or a Medicare Savings Program fits you.

• SHIP Information Center: 1-800-792-8820.
• PAAD hotline: 1-800-792-9745.
• DOBI Consumer Inquiry and Response Center: 1-800-446-7467, for Medigap complaints.
• Medicare: 1-800-633-4227, 24 hours a day.

Checklist before you choose for 2027

Use this with any of the Medicare Advantage plans New Jersey carriers sell:

• Read your Annual Notice of Change or non-renewal letter.
• If you get PAAD, Medicaid or Extra Help, choose a plan with drug coverage.
• Confirm doctors and hospitals for 2027, by phone.
• Check your drugs on the 2027 formulary.
• Compare out-of-pocket limits, not just premiums.
• If you are under 65, note your 12-month Medigap window.
• Keep your enrollment confirmation and new ID card.

Medicare Advantage plans New Jersey: frequently asked questions

How many Medicare Advantage plans are there in New Jersey for 2027?

CMS counts 72 plans for 2027, down from 85 in 2026. Plan Finder shows which ones serve your ZIP code.

Can I get a $0-premium plan in New Jersey?

Yes. CMS says 100% of people with Medicare in New Jersey have access to one in 2027. Part B and copays still apply.

Can I keep PAAD if I join a Medicare Advantage plan?

Yes, if the plan includes drug coverage. The PAAD page says Medicare Advantage members must add a prescription benefit, and SHIP’s chart says plans without drug coverage don’t work with PAAD.

Can I switch to Medigap if my plan leaves?

Yes. A plan leaving Medicare or your area is a guaranteed issue situation, with a window from 60 days before to 63 days after coverage ends.

Does New Jersey have a Medigap birthday rule?

New Jersey SHIP’s notes describe none. Use open enrollment or a guaranteed issue right.

Who gives free Medicare help in New Jersey?

New Jersey SHIP, through the Division of Aging Services. Call 1-800-792-8820.

Compare your options with a licensed agent

Octans Insurance is an independent agency based in Massachusetts. Our licensed agents work with 120+ carriers and can compare the Medicare Advantage plans New Jersey carriers offer in your county with Medigap options, at no fee to you. Call (617) 935-9220. For free, unbiased counseling, you can also call New Jersey SHIP at 1-800-792-8820 or 1-800-MEDICARE. For state rules on life coverage, see our New Jersey life insurance guide.

Keep Reading: Related Guides

• Life insurance in New Jersey
• Medicare Part C
• Medicare Advantage plan not renewing
• Medicare enrollment calculator
• Medicare Supplement rates in New Jersey
• Free Medicare help in New Jersey
• New Jersey Medicaid burial rules
• Unclaimed life insurance in New Jersey

We do not offer every plan available in your area. Please contact Medicare.gov or 1-800-MEDICARE to get information on all of your options.

This article is for general information and is not tax, legal, or medical advice.

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