Your 2026 Guide to Medicare in Washington
A plain-English look at Medicare across Washington for 2026: what the parts cover, when you can enroll, what it costs, and how to think about Medicare Advantage vs. Original Medicare and Medigap — no rankings.
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How old are you?
This helps match you with options you’re eligible for.
Do you have Medicare Parts A & B?
This affects which Medicare options you can choose.
These listings are provided by licensed insurance partners.
Advertising disclosure: MyMedicarePlans.org may be compensated when you contact a partner or licensed agent. Listings are not ranked or endorsed by us, and we do not recommend specific plans. You can also contact Medicare.gov, 1-800-MEDICARE, or your local SHIP.
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The parts of Medicare
Your two main paths
Almost everyone takes one of two directions with Medicare, and neither is universally right — it depends on your doctors, your prescriptions, your budget, and how you like to handle care. Statewide, about 50% of Washington Medicare members use Medicare Advantage rather than Original Medicare — though that varies a lot by county.
Your Part A and Part B — and usually drug coverage — come through one private plan, within a network and a county-based service area.
You keep nationwide provider freedom and usually add a stand-alone Part D drug plan, plus often a Medigap policy to make your out-of-pocket costs predictable.
This section explains how each path works so you can decide for yourself. We provide educational information only, and we never rank or recommend specific plans.
Explore each part of Medicare in Washington
The 2026 numbers, from shared to plan-specific
Start with what's fixed for everyone. The standard Part B premium is $202.9 per month in 2026, and Part A is premium-free for most people who paid Medicare taxes long enough while working.
On the drug side, Part D has real guardrails this year: a deductible capped at $615 and, for the first time, a hard $2,100 ceiling on your out-of-pocket costs for covered prescriptions — the old coverage gap is gone.
Higher earners pay more for Parts B and D through an income-related adjustment called IRMAA, which starts above $109,000 in annual income for an individual and is based on your 2024 tax return. Most people fall below that line and pay the standard amounts.
Everything past that is plan-specific: the premiums, copays, and coverage details of an individual Advantage or Medigap plan change from plan to plan and year to year. Rather than quote or rank those, we point you to Medicare's Plan Finder and a licensed agent for your exact numbers.
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When can you enroll? An interactive year
Enrollment windows are federal and the same nationwide. Confirm your personal dates at Medicare.gov or 1-800-MEDICARE.
Getting unbiased help in Washington
You never have to make these decisions alone, and you don't have to pay for good help. A few free, trustworthy starting points:
Your State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) offers free, one-on-one Medicare counseling from trained counselors who don't sell anything. Medicare.gov and 1-800-MEDICARE (TTY 1-877-486-2048) are the official sources for plan details and the Plan Finder. Licensed agents can also compare options with you and handle enrollment.
And to be clear about who we are: MyMedicarePlans.org is a privately owned, independent educational resource. We are not Medicare, not a government agency, and not affiliated with one. We publish plain-language information to help you get oriented — then point you to the official sources and licensed professionals for decisions about specific plans.