Medicare 2026

Unbiased Medicare guidance in Novi through SHIP and agencies

NOVI, Mich. — If you live in Novi and feel buried under Medicare mail, TV ads, and robocalls, you are not alone. With so many voices pitching plans, it can be hard to know who is actually on your side.

Free, unbiased Medicare help is closer than you think

The good news: there are two solid places to turn for straight answers. One is Michigan's State Health Insurance Assistance Program, known as SHIP. The other is a licensed insurance agent or agency. Each has a role, and knowing the difference can save you a lot of stress — especially during the fall Annual Enrollment Period (Oct. 15 – Dec. 7).

Start with SHIP: free, one-on-one counseling

In Michigan, the SHIP program is called MMAP — the Michigan Medicare/Medicaid Assistance Program. MMAP counselors are trained volunteers and staff who help people with Medicare sort through their options. They do not sell insurance. They do not earn commissions. Their only job is to help you understand your choices.

MMAP counselors can help you:

• Understand the basics of Parts A, B, C, and D.
• Compare Medicare Advantage and Medigap coverage.
• Review your current plan during Open Enrollment.
• Check if you qualify for programs that lower costs, like Extra Help or a Medicare Savings Program.
• Spot and report possible Medicare fraud.

To reach MMAP, call 1-800-803-7174 or visit mmapinc.org. In Oakland County, appointments are often available through local senior centers and area agencies on aging. Novi residents can also check with the Novi Older Adult Services office at the Meadowbrook Activity Center for referrals.

When a licensed agent makes sense

SHIP counselors give you information, but they cannot enroll you in a plan. That is where a licensed insurance agent comes in.

A good agent is licensed by the State of Michigan, appointed with one or more carriers, and required to follow Medicare marketing rules from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Agents are paid by the insurance companies whose plans they sell, so their advice can be shaped by which carriers they represent.

That is not a bad thing — it just means it helps to ask a few questions up front:

• Which carriers are you appointed with?
• Do you offer both Medicare Advantage and Medigap (Medicare Supplement) plans?
• Will you review my doctors, hospitals, and prescriptions before recommending anything?
• Are you available after enrollment if I have a problem?

An agent who welcomes those questions is likely one worth working with.

What's actually available around Novi

Novi is in Oakland County, where 103 Medicare Advantage plans were offered from 13 different carriers for 2026, according to CMS Plan Finder data. The 2027 lineup is detailed in each plan's Annual Notice of Change and on Medicare.gov's Plan Finder. Either way, it's a lot to sort through — another reason to lean on a SHIP counselor or a licensed agent instead of trying to compare every plan on your own.

Stand-alone Part D drug plans are also available to people who stay with Original Medicare and want prescription coverage.

Key Part D numbers to know

Whether you talk with MMAP or an agent, these program-level Part D figures are worth keeping in mind as you compare 2026 and 2027 coverage:

• $2,100 in 2026 and $2,400 in 2027 — the annual out-of-pocket cap on Part D prescription drug costs.
• $615 in 2026 and $700 in 2027 — the maximum Part D deductible a plan can charge.
• No more donut hole. As of 2025, Part D has three phases instead of four.
• Medicare Prescription Payment Plan. You can choose to spread your drug costs across the calendar year in monthly payments instead of paying a big bill at the pharmacy.
• IRMAA — higher-income surcharges on Part B and Part D — kick in above $109,000 in income for a single filer in 2026.

These rules come straight from Medicare and apply no matter which plan or agent you choose.

Dates to circle

• Oct. 15 – Dec. 7: Medicare Annual Enrollment Period. You can join, switch, or drop a Medicare Advantage or Part D plan. Changes take effect Jan. 1.
• Jan. 1 – Mar. 31: Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period. If you're already in a Medicare Advantage plan, you get one chance to switch to another MA plan or return to Original Medicare.

If you miss these windows, you generally have to wait until the next Annual Enrollment Period unless you qualify for a Special Enrollment Period (for example, after a move or loss of other coverage).