Medicare 2026

Before AEP Ends Dec 7, Know Your Chandler Options

Before AEP Ends Dec 7, Know Your Chandler Options — plain-language Medicare information for Chandler, Arizona.

If you live in Chandler and Medicare feels like a maze of mailers, phone calls, and fine print, you're not alone. The good news: you don't have to figure it out by yourself, and you don't have to pay anyone to help you understand your options. Between Arizona's free counseling program and licensed local agencies, Chandler residents have several honest places to turn — you just need to know what each one does.

Start with SHIP for unbiased answers

SHIP stands for State Health Insurance Assistance Program. It's a federally funded, state-run service that gives free, confidential Medicare counseling. Counselors don't sell insurance and don't earn commissions, so their only job is to answer your questions.

In Arizona, the program is run through the Arizona Department of Economic Security, Division of Aging and Adult Services. You can reach SHIP Arizona at 1-800-432-4040 or visit des.az.gov and search "SHIP." Counselors can help you compare Original Medicare and Medicare Advantage, understand Part D drug coverage, review Medigap options, or check whether you qualify for programs that help with premiums and drug costs.

Because SHIP volunteers are trained but demand is high — especially during fall enrollment — it's smart to call early and make an appointment.

When a licensed agent makes sense

Licensed insurance agents and brokers in Chandler can also help, and many are genuinely helpful. Agents can quote specific plans, explain networks, and handle enrollment paperwork. They are paid a commission by the insurance carrier when you enroll, which is legal and common, but it means their menu is limited to the carriers they are contracted with.

A few tips when working with an agent:

• Ask which carriers they represent. An "independent" agent usually offers more choices than a "captive" agent tied to one company.
• Ask if they can quote both Medicare Advantage and Medigap plans, plus stand-alone Part D.
• You should never be pressured, and no agent can enroll you without your permission.

Using both resources is fine. Many Chandler retirees start with a SHIP counselor to understand the rules, then work with an agent to compare specific plans.

What the local landscape looks like

Chandler is in Maricopa County, where the 2027 Medicare landscape includes 79 Medicare Advantage plans offered by 16 different carriers, according to CMS Plan Finder data. With more than 742,000 people age 65 and older across the county, there is strong demand and a lot of marketing — which is exactly why unbiased help matters.

Star Ratings are one tool the government publishes to measure plan quality, and you can view them on medicare.gov. They're informational, not a recommendation.

Key dates and rules for 2027

A few program facts worth writing down:

• Annual Enrollment Period: October 15 – December 7. This is when most people can change Medicare Advantage or Part D coverage for the following year.
• Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment: January 1 – March 31. If you're already in an Advantage plan, you get one chance to switch or return to Original Medicare.
• Part D out-of-pocket cap: $2,100 in 2026 and $2,400 in 2027. Once your out-of-pocket drug spending hits that amount, you pay nothing for covered drugs the rest of the year.
• Part D maximum deductible: $615 in 2026 and $700 in 2027.
• Coverage gap ("donut hole"): eliminated as of 2025. Part D now has three phases.
• Medicare Prescription Payment Plan: an optional program that spreads your drug costs into monthly payments instead of paying at the pharmacy counter.
• IRMAA: higher-income surcharges on Part B and Part D begin above $109,000 (single filer, 2026).

How to prepare before you call

Whether you reach out to SHIP or an agent, a little prep saves a lot of time:

1. Have your Medicare number and effective dates ready. 2. Make a list of your prescription drugs, doses, and pharmacy. 3. List the doctors and hospitals you want to keep. 4. Write down your top two or three questions.

That way, whoever helps you can give real answers instead of general ones.