Medicare 2026

Medicare Help in Coconut Creek: Free Local Guidance

COCONUT CREEK, Fla. — If you're turning 65, helping a parent sort through mail, or just trying to make sense of what changes each fall, you don't have to figure Medicare out alone. There's free, unbiased help available right here in Broward County, plus licensed agents who can walk you through your choices. The trick is knowing which door to knock on — and what to expect once you do.

Medicare questions in Coconut Creek? Here's where to get real answers

Here's a plain-language guide to your local options.

Start with SHINE — Florida's free counseling program

Every state has a State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP). In Florida, it's called SHINE — Serving Health Insurance Needs of Elders. It's a program of the Florida Department of Elder Affairs, staffed largely by trained volunteers, and it costs nothing to use.

SHINE counselors don't sell insurance and don't earn commissions. They can help you:

• Understand the differences between Original Medicare, Medicare Advantage, Medigap, and Part D drug plans.
• Compare plans on Medicare.gov using your own list of doctors and prescriptions.
• Check whether you qualify for programs that help with premiums or drug costs (Extra Help, Medicare Savings Programs).
• Review a denial, a bill, or a piece of mail you're not sure about.

To reach SHINE, call the Florida SHINE Helpline at 1-800-963-5337, or visit floridashine.org to find a local counselor. Appointments in Broward County are often available at senior centers and libraries.

When a licensed agent or broker makes sense

SHINE can explain your options, but SHINE counselors won't enroll you in a plan. That's where a licensed insurance agent or broker comes in.

A good agent:

• Is licensed in Florida (you can verify at myfloridacfo.com).
• Is appointed with multiple carriers, not just one, so they can show you a range of plans.
• Explains how they get paid (agents are paid commissions by insurance companies).
• Doesn't pressure you or ask you to decide on the spot.

Coconut Creek sits in Broward County, where 16 carriers offer Medicare Advantage plans with drug coverage and roughly 119 Medicare Advantage plans are available for 2026, according to CMS Landscape data. That's a lot to sift through, which is exactly why many people work with an agent — or use SHINE first to narrow the field, then an agent to enroll.

Red flags to watch for

Medicare marketing gets loud, especially between October 15 and December 7. A few warning signs:

• Unsolicited calls or door knocks about "new Medicare benefits." CMS rules prohibit unsolicited contact by agents.
• Pressure to switch plans right now without reviewing your doctors and drugs.
• Anyone claiming to be "from Medicare" — Medicare doesn't sell plans or call you out of the blue.
• TV ads promising extras that may or may not apply to your ZIP code or situation.

If something feels off, hang up and call SHINE or 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227).

What's new for 2026 that's worth asking about

A few program-wide changes are worth putting on your list of questions:

• Part D out-of-pocket cap of $2,100. Once your covered drug spending hits that amount in 2026, you pay $0 for the rest of the year on covered drugs.
• Part D deductible up to $615. Plans can charge less, but not more.
• The old "donut hole" is gone. Part D now has three phases instead of four (starting in 2025).
• Medicare Prescription Payment Plan. You can choose to spread your drug costs across the year in monthly payments instead of paying at the pharmacy counter.
• IRMAA (the higher-income surcharge on Parts B and D) starts above $109,000 for a single filer in 2026.

These apply nationwide — no matter which plan you have or where you live in Coconut Creek.

Key dates to remember

• October 15 – December 7: Annual Enrollment Period. You can join, switch, or drop a Medicare Advantage or Part D plan.
• January 1 – March 31: Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment. If you're already in a Medicare Advantage plan, you get one chance to switch to another MA plan or return to Original Medicare.
• Your Initial Enrollment Period: The 7-month window around your 65th birthday.