Medicare 2026

Sorting out Medicare in Des Plaines? Two kinds of help, and how they differ

When Medicare questions pile up — a letter from your plan, a new diagnosis, a spouse turning 65 — most Des Plaines residents don't need more brochures. They need someone to sit down with them and explain the choices in plain English. The good news: two very different kinds of help exist in this area, and knowing which one to call first can save you a lot of second-guessing.

Medicare 2027Des Plaines, IL

Start with SHIP if you want unbiased help

SHIP stands for the State Health Insurance Assistance Program. In Illinois it is run through the Department on Aging and is staffed largely by trained volunteer counselors. SHIP is funded by a federal grant, not by insurance companies, so counselors don't earn commissions and don't try to steer you toward any particular plan.

A SHIP counselor can:

• Explain how Parts A, B, C and D fit together
• Help you compare Medicare Advantage and Part D options on Medicare.gov's Plan Finder
• Review a plan's Annual Notice of Change letter with you
• Screen you for programs like Extra Help, the Medicare Savings Programs, or Illinois Benefit Access
• Help you understand a denial or appeal

You can reach Illinois SHIP at 1-800-252-8966 or find a local counselor through your Area Agency on Aging. Des Plaines residents fall under AgeOptions, the Area Agency serving suburban Cook County.

When a licensed agent makes sense

Licensed insurance agents and brokers are the other side of the coin. They are trained and state-licensed, they must complete Medicare-specific certifications each year, and they can actually enroll you in a plan. SHIP counselors cannot.

The trade-off is straightforward: agents are paid by the insurance companies whose plans they sell. A good agent will disclose which carriers they represent. Some are "captive" (one company only); others are independent and can quote several carriers. Neither is automatically better — but knowing which you're talking to matters.

A licensed agent is often the right call when you have already done your homework, you know the type of coverage you want, and you need someone to handle the paperwork and follow-up.

Why local help matters in Cook County

Des Plaines is in Cook County, where 58 Medicare Advantage plans are available for 2027 from 11 different carriers. That's a wide field to sort through on your own, especially if you're weighing whether to stay with Original Medicare and add a Part D drug plan, or move to a Medicare Advantage plan that bundles everything.

Doctor networks, hospital affiliations (Advocate Lutheran General is right next door in Park Ridge, for example), and covered drugs vary from plan to plan. Someone local — whether a SHIP counselor or an agent who works this area — will know which questions to ask.

What to bring to any Medicare appointment

Whether you sit down with SHIP or with an agent, the meeting goes faster if you arrive prepared:

• Your red-white-and-blue Medicare card, or the letter with your Medicare number
• A full list of your prescriptions, doses, and pharmacy
• The names of the doctors and specialists you want to keep
• Any letters from your current plan, especially the Annual Notice of Change
• A rough idea of your yearly income (this matters for Extra Help and IRMAA)

Key dates to keep in mind

The Medicare Annual Enrollment Period runs Oct. 15 through Dec. 7 each year. This is when most people can change their Medicare Advantage or Part D plan for the following year. If you're already in a Medicare Advantage plan, you also have the Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period from Jan. 1 through March 31 to make one change.

A few program-level figures worth knowing as you compare:

• The Part D out-of-pocket cap is $2,100 in 2026 and $2,400 in 2027.
• The Part D maximum deductible is $615 in 2026 and $700 in 2027.
• The old coverage gap ("donut hole") was eliminated in 2025; Part D now has three phases.
• The Medicare Prescription Payment Plan lets you spread drug costs across the year in monthly installments.
• IRMAA surcharges for higher-income enrollees start above $109,000 for a single filer in 2026.