Medicare 2026

Before you call an agent in Stockbridge, try SHIP

Stockbridge, Ga. — If you are turning 65, helping a parent, or just trying to make sense of a mailbox full of Medicare flyers, you do not have to figure it out alone. Henry County residents have two very different kinds of help available: a free state counseling program called SHIP, and licensed insurance agencies. Both can be useful. They just do different jobs, and knowing which one to call first can save you a lot of time.

What SHIP is, and why people start there

SHIP stands for State Health Insurance Assistance Program. It is a federally funded program that lives in every state. In Georgia, it goes by the name GeorgiaCares, and it is run through the Division of Aging Services.

The counselors are trained volunteers and staff. They do not sell anything. They do not earn a commission. Their only job is to answer your Medicare questions in plain language — things like:

• How do Parts A, B, C and D fit together?
• Should I keep my employer coverage or move to Medicare?
• What is Extra Help, and do I qualify?
• How do I compare plans on medicare.gov?
• What changed in my current plan for next year?

You can reach GeorgiaCares at 1-866-552-4464. Ask for a counselor who serves Henry County. Appointments are usually free and can be done by phone or in person.

What licensed agents and agencies do differently

Licensed insurance agents are also useful, but their role is not the same. They are trained and appointed to sell specific Medicare Advantage, Part D, and Medigap plans from the carriers they contract with. A good agent will listen to your doctors, prescriptions and budget, then narrow the field.

A few things to keep in mind:

• Agents are paid by the insurance company when you enroll, not by you.
• An agent may not represent every carrier available in your area, so ask which ones they work with.
• Independent agencies typically offer more carriers than a "captive" agent tied to one company.
• Under CMS rules, agents cannot show up uninvited, cannot pressure you, and must give you time to think.

If you already know the basics and want help comparing specific plans, an agent can be a real time-saver. If you are new to Medicare or want a neutral second opinion first, SHIP is usually the better starting point.

The Stockbridge picture

Stockbridge sits in Henry County, and plan availability is set at the county level. For 2026, Henry County had 98 Medicare Advantage plans offered by 13 carriers; the 2027 lineup is detailed in each plan's ANOC and on Medicare.gov's Plan Finder. That is a lot of choices to sort through on your own, which is one reason free counseling matters. There are also more than 31,000 residents age 65 and older in the county, so you are far from the only one working through this.

Stand-alone Part D drug plans are counted separately by CMS and are available to anyone with Original Medicare who wants drug coverage.

Program facts worth knowing for 2027

Whether you talk to a SHIP counselor or an agent, these are the numbers and dates driving conversations this fall:

• Part D out-of-pocket cap: $2,100 in 2026 and $2,400 in 2027. Once you hit that, you pay nothing for covered drugs the rest of the year.
• Part D deductible: up to $615 in 2026 and up to $700 in 2027, depending on the plan.
• The coverage gap ("donut hole") was eliminated in 2025. Part D now has three phases instead of four.
• Medicare Prescription Payment Plan: an optional program that lets you spread drug costs across the year in monthly payments instead of paying at the pharmacy counter.
• IRMAA: higher-income surcharges on Part B and Part D begin above $109,000 for a single filer in 2026.
• Annual Enrollment Period: October 15 – December 7.
• Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period: January 1 – March 31 (for people already on a Medicare Advantage plan).

How to prepare before you call anyone

You will get better answers if you show up with the basics ready:

• Your Medicare number (or your "Welcome to Medicare" packet if you have it).
• A list of your current prescriptions, doses and pharmacy.
• The names of your doctors and any specialists you want to keep.
• Any current insurance cards — employer, retiree, VA, TRICARE or Medicaid.
• A short list of what matters most to you: low monthly cost, predictable copays, travel coverage, specific drugs, dental, etc.

With that in hand, a 30-minute call is usually enough to get real direction.