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Start with the Medicare basics, then move into Supplements, Medicare Advantage, drug plans, and deeper guides for special situations or coverage questions. Every article is grouped by the decision it helps you make.
2027 plan year
Carrier exits, plan transitions and other news that can change what you need to do this enrollment season.
Humana is discontinuing a set of Medicare Advantage plans for 2027, affecting about 600,000 members. How to find out if your plan is affected, the key dates, and what to do next.
Read articleProvidence Health Plan is closing its Medicare Advantage business for 2027 after a planned sale fell through, affecting more than 64,000 members. What it means and what to do next.
Read articlePresbyterian Health Plan is discontinuing most of its Medicare Advantage plans for 2027, leaving about 30,000 New Mexico members to find new coverage. Who is affected and what the options are.
Read articleCostco and SCAN Health Plan are launching co-branded Medicare plans as a pilot. What's confirmed, what's still unknown, and why you won't need a Costco membership to enroll.
Read articleClear Spring Health shut down its Medicare Advantage business in May 2026, affecting about 12,000 members in Illinois, Georgia, and Colorado. Where things stand if you never chose a new plan, and what to do during this fall's enrollment period.
Read articleHometown Health's Senior Care Plus is becoming Kaiser Permanente in 2027, and Senior Care Plus Medicare Advantage plans end December 31, 2026. What Reno-area members need to do before the end of the year.
Read articleMolina Healthcare is dropping its individual Medicare Advantage MAPD plans for 2027, affecting about 99,100 members in roughly 20 states. Who is affected, who is not, the key dates, and what to do.
Read articleStart here
Core Medicare basics for people turning 65, leaving employer coverage, or trying to understand how the parts fit together.
A plain-English guide to how Medicare works, including Parts A, B, C, and D, enrollment timing, plan choices, and what to compare before you choose coverage.
Read guideLearn who qualifies for Medicare at 65, who can qualify before 65 because of disability, ALS, or ESRD, and why eligibility is only the first Medicare timing question.
Read guideLearn how to enroll in Medicare Part A and Part B, when enrollment may be automatic, what to do if you are still working, and how plan enrollment works after Original Medicare.
Read guideUnderstand the main Medicare enrollment windows, including the Initial Enrollment Period, employer coverage timing, General Enrollment Period, Annual Enrollment Period, and Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment.
Read guideLearn why Medicare enrollment at 65 depends on your coverage, work status, and timing.
Read guideReview Medicare timing questions for people still working at 65 with employer group health coverage, COBRA, retiree coverage, HSA contributions, and Part B decisions.
Read guideUnderstand the real costs of Medicare in 2026, including Part A, Part B, Part D, Medicare Advantage, Medicare Supplement premiums, deductibles, copays, coinsurance, penalties, and income adjustments.
Read guideA plain-English guide to Medicare Part A hospital insurance, what it usually covers, what it does not cover by itself, and how it fits with the rest of Medicare.
Read guideUnderstand Medicare Part B medical insurance, what it generally covers, why the monthly premium matters, and when delaying Part B can create penalties or gaps.
Read guideAvoid common Medicare mistakes around enrollment timing, employer coverage, drug coverage, doctor networks, dental benefits, plan changes, and total cost.
Read guideMedigap
Guides for Original Medicare plus Medigap, including plan letters, enrollment timing, switching, and common supplement comparisons.
Understand Medicare Supplement plans, also called Medigap, including how they work with Original Medicare, what plan letters mean, when to buy, why premiums vary, and how they differ from Medicare Advantage.
Read guideCompare Medicare Supplement plan types, including Plan G, Plan N, Plan F, high-deductible Plan G, Plans K and L, and why standardized Medigap benefits do not mean every carrier costs the same.
Read guideUnderstand when to buy a Medicare Supplement plan, how the one-time 6-month Medigap Open Enrollment Period works, and why underwriting, guaranteed issue rights, employer coverage, Medicare Advantage, and state rules can matter.
Read guideA practical guide to Medicare Supplement Plan F, including what it covers, who can still buy it, why access changed after January 1, 2020, and how to compare Plan F with Plan G and other Medigap options.
Read guideCompare Medicare Supplement Plan N and Plan G, including premiums, Part B deductible rules, office visit copays, emergency room copays, Part B excess charges, and how to decide which Medigap plan fits.
Read guideUnderstand what to consider before changing from one Medicare Supplement plan to another.
Read guidePart C
Medicare Advantage basics, plan types, enrollment windows, cost plans, and how private-plan rules can affect care.
A practical Medicare Advantage guide explaining how Part C works, who can enroll, plan networks, drug coverage, prior authorization, extra benefits, costs, out-of-pocket limits, county availability, and annual plan changes.
Read guideUnderstand Medicare Part C, why it is also called Medicare Advantage, how it differs from Original Medicare, and what to compare before choosing a plan.
Read guideUnderstand the main Medicare Advantage plan types, including HMO, PPO, PFFS, SNP, and MSA plans, and how each type can affect doctors, referrals, prescriptions, out-of-network care, costs, and travel.
Read guideUnderstand when you can join, switch, or leave a Medicare Advantage plan, including initial plan enrollment, Annual Open Enrollment, Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment, Special Enrollment Periods, and what happens when you return to Original Medicare.
Read guideReview Medicare Advantage plan basics, local differences, and annual plan changes.
Read guideLearn what Medicare Cost Plans are and why availability is limited by location.
Read guidePart D
Prescription drug coverage, Part D enrollment, coverage stages, Extra Help, formularies, pharmacies, and annual drug-plan reviews.
A practical guide to Medicare Part D prescription drug coverage, including formularies, pharmacy networks, 2026 deductibles, the $2,100 out-of-pocket threshold, insulin costs, penalties, Extra Help, and why drug plans should be reviewed every year.
Read guideA clear guide to what Medicare Part D is, what it covers, how stand-alone drug plans and Medicare Advantage drug coverage work, and what to check before choosing a plan.
Read guideUnderstand how Medicare Part D drug costs work in 2026, including deductibles, covered drug costs, pharmacy choice, formularies, and the out-of-pocket threshold.
Read guideA practical guide to Medicare Part D enrollment periods, including when you can join, switch, or drop drug coverage, how late penalties work, and what life events can create a Special Enrollment Period.
Read guideA practical guide to Extra Help, also called the Low-Income Subsidy, including who may qualify, how it lowers Medicare Part D costs in 2026, automatic eligibility, applications, and plan-review steps.
Read guideDeeper questions
Decision support, special situations, coverage questions, and practical guides for comparing or reviewing Medicare choices.
A practical guide to Medicare Advantage vs Medicare Supplement, including how each path works, provider access, prescription drug coverage, premiums, out-of-pocket risk, extra benefits, travel, and what to know before switching later.
Read guideA practical guide to choosing the right Medicare plan, including how to compare Original Medicare, Medicare Advantage, Medigap, Part D, doctors, prescriptions, travel, budget, timing, and future flexibility.
Read guideA practical guide to changing Medicare coverage: the Annual Enrollment Period, Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment, Special Enrollment Periods, Medigap switches and underwriting, and how to switch without a coverage gap.
Read guideSeven practical questions that reveal whether a Medicare insurance agent or agency is the right fit: licensing, local knowledge, carrier breadth, cost, after-enrollment service, and how they build a recommendation.
Read guideCut through common Medicare myths and understand why the right answer depends on your situation.
Read guideUnderstand Medicare Special Enrollment Periods for Medicare Advantage and Part D changes, including moving, losing coverage, Medicaid, Extra Help, and other life events.
Read guideA practical guide to Medicare and Medicaid, including dual eligibility, who pays first, what Medicaid may help pay, Extra Help, Medicare Savings Programs, D-SNPs, and why state rules matter.
Read guideUnderstand Medicare IRMAA, why higher-income beneficiaries may pay more for Part B and Part D, and when someone can ask Social Security to lower the amount.
Read guideA practical guide to Medicare for veterans, including how VA health care works with Medicare, Part B decisions, prescription coverage, Medicare Advantage, TRICARE, CHAMPVA, and what to review before changing coverage.
Read guideA practical guide to Medicare and FEHB, including active employee rules, retiree coordination, Part B decisions, FEHB drug coverage, Medicare Advantage options, PSHB differences, and what to review before changing coverage.
Read guideUnderstand Medicare Qualified Government Employment, how certain government wages can count toward Medicare eligibility, and why FEHB or retiree coverage still needs review.
Read guideLearn what a Medicare Proof of Representation is and when someone may need a representative.
Read guideUnderstand when Medicare may cover dental care, why Original Medicare is limited, and how Medicare Advantage or stand-alone dental coverage can change the comparison.
Read guideLearn when Medicare may cover MRI scans and what questions to ask before scheduling.
Read guideUnderstand Medicare colonoscopy coverage basics and why screening versus diagnostic billing matters.
Read guideLearn how shingles vaccine coverage generally works under Medicare drug coverage.
Read guideUnderstand when Medicare may cover acupuncture and why plan rules should be checked before care.
Read guideUnderstand Medicare Part A benefit periods and why hospital or skilled nursing stays can reset cost sharing.
Read guideOlder Medicare change content preserved as a reminder that Medicare costs, benefits, and plan rules change over time.
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