Medicare 2026

Medicare help in Commerce City: SHIP counselors and agents

COMMERCE CITY, Colo. — If you live in Commerce City and you're trying to sort through Medicare, you don't have to do it alone — and you don't have to start with a salesperson. Free, one-on-one help is available from trained counselors who don't sell plans and don't work on commission. Knowing who to call first can save you hours of confusion and help you avoid a costly mistake.

Straight answers, no sales pitch

This guide walks through where to get that unbiased help locally, and how licensed agents fit in when you're ready to compare specific plans.

Start with SHIP — Colorado's free Medicare counseling

Every state has a State Health Insurance Assistance Program, or SHIP. In Colorado, it's called the State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP), run through the Colorado Division of Insurance and delivered locally through area agencies on aging and senior centers.

SHIP counselors are trained volunteers and staff who help you:

• Understand the parts of Medicare (A, B, C, and D)
• Compare your options during Annual Enrollment (Oct. 15 – Dec. 7)
• Look at Medicare Advantage vs. Original Medicare plus a Medigap policy
• Check whether you qualify for programs like Extra Help or a Medicare Savings Program
• Sort out billing problems, denials, and appeals

They do not sell insurance. They do not earn a commission if you pick one plan over another. That's the whole point.

How to reach SHIP in the Commerce City area:

• Call the Colorado SHIP line at 1-888-696-7213
• Visit doi.colorado.gov and search "SHIP"
• Ask Adams County's senior services office about the closest counseling site

What a licensed agent or broker can do (and can't)

Licensed insurance agents are the other main source of help. A good local agent can walk you through the specific plans available in Adams County, run your prescriptions through Medicare's Plan Finder, and enroll you.

A few things worth knowing:

• Agents are paid a commission by insurance companies when you enroll.
• An independent agent can offer plans from multiple carriers. A captive agent represents one company. Both can be helpful — just ask which one you're talking to.
• Under CMS rules, agents must record certain sales calls and give you a Scope of Appointment before discussing Medicare Advantage or Part D plans. That's normal.
• You are never required to enroll on the spot. If someone pressures you, walk away.

If you already know what you want, an agent can be efficient. If you're still learning the basics, start with SHIP first, then bring your questions to an agent.

The area picture in Adams County

Commerce City sits in Adams County, where Medicare plan availability is set at the county level. For 2026, Adams County has 71 Medicare Advantage plans offered by 12 carriers, according to CMS Landscape data. Most of those plans include prescription drug coverage. The 2027 lineup is in each plan's Annual Notice of Change and on Medicare.gov's Plan Finder.

That's a lot of choices — which is exactly why unbiased help matters. A counselor or agent can narrow the list based on your doctors, your prescriptions, and how you like to get care.

Medicare facts worth knowing before any meeting

Whether you meet with SHIP or an agent, come in knowing these program-level numbers:

• Part D out-of-pocket cap: $2,100 in 2026 and $2,400 in 2027. Once you hit that in covered drug costs, you pay nothing more for covered drugs the rest of the year.
• Part D maximum deductible: $615 in 2026 and $700 in 2027.
• The coverage gap ("donut hole") is gone as of 2025. Part D now has three phases instead of four.
• Medicare Prescription Payment Plan: an optional program that lets you spread your drug costs across the year in monthly payments instead of paying big amounts at the pharmacy counter.
• IRMAA (higher premiums for higher incomes): kicks in above $109,000 for a single filer in 2026.
• Annual Enrollment Period: Oct. 15 – Dec. 7.
• Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment: Jan. 1 – March 31 (for people already in an MA plan who want to switch once).

How to decide who to call first

A simple rule of thumb:

• Call SHIP if you're new to Medicare, confused about how it works, worried about a bill or a denial, or trying to figure out if you qualify for help paying premiums.
• Call a licensed agent if you already understand the basics and you're ready to compare specific plans side-by-side and enroll.
• Call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227) any time, 24/7, for official answers about your coverage, claims, or enrollment.
• Use medicare.gov/plan-compare to see every plan available in your ZIP code and price out your prescriptions.

You can also use more than one. Many people talk to SHIP first to get their bearings, then work with an agent to enroll.

Watch out for pressure tactics

A few red flags, no matter who you're talking to:

• Anyone who calls, texts, or shows up at your door uninvited claiming to be "from Medicare." Medicare does not do that.
• Anyone who asks for your Medicare number before you've agreed to talk with them.
• Promises that sound too good — big cash cards, free groceries, "everyone qualifies." Benefits vary by plan and by person, and eligibility rules apply.
• Rushing you to sign today.

If something feels off, hang up and call SHIP or 1-800-MEDICARE to check it out.