Medicare 2026

Confused about Medicare in Lake Stevens? Start with SHIP before you shop

Living in Lake Stevens and feeling stuck on a Medicare question? You are not alone, and you do not have to figure it out by yourself. Between free counselors trained by the state and licensed agents who sell plans, Snohomish County residents have real options — but they work in different ways, and knowing the difference can save you a lot of time.

Medicare 2027Lake Stevens, WA

Start with SHIBA — Washington's free counseling program

Every state has a State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP). In Washington, it is called SHIBA — the Statewide Health Insurance Benefits Advisors program, run through the Office of the Insurance Commissioner.

SHIBA counselors are trained volunteers. They do not sell insurance, do not earn commissions, and are not connected to any carrier. Their job is simply to help you understand your choices — Original Medicare, Medicare Advantage, Part D drug plans, Medigap policies, and programs that help with costs if your income is limited.

You can reach SHIBA by calling 1-800-562-6900 or visiting insurance.wa.gov/shiba. Appointments in Snohomish County are often available by phone, and in-person help is offered through senior centers and libraries in the area.

When a licensed agent makes sense

SHIBA can explain the landscape, but SHIBA counselors cannot actually enroll you in a Medicare Advantage or Part D plan. That step happens either on medicare.gov, over the phone with 1-800-MEDICARE, or with a licensed insurance agent or broker.

Agents are useful when you have already decided on a direction and want help comparing specific plans, filling out the paperwork, and having someone to call if a problem comes up later. Keep in mind:

• Agents are paid by the insurance companies whose plans they sell.
• Some agents represent many carriers; others represent only one or two.
• Before an agent discusses plan specifics, they are required to have you agree to a "Scope of Appointment" form. That is normal.

If you want a broader view, ask an agent up front how many carriers they are contracted with.

What the local Medicare landscape looks like

Lake Stevens sits in Snohomish County, where 10 carriers offered Medicare Advantage plans that include drug coverage for 2026, and 71 Medicare Advantage plans in total were available countywide. The 2027 lineup is in each plan's ANOC and on Medicare.gov's Plan Finder. There are more than 124,000 residents age 65 and older in the county, so the market is large — and comparing options one by one can feel overwhelming without help.

That is exactly why SHIBA exists. A counselor can walk through your prescriptions, your doctors, and your budget with you before you ever talk to an agent.

What is changing in 2027

A few program-wide updates are worth knowing before you sit down with anyone:

• The Part D out-of-pocket cap is $2,100 in 2026. Once your drug spending hits that amount, you pay $0 for covered drugs the rest of the year.
• The Part D maximum deductible is $615.
• The old "donut hole" coverage gap was eliminated in 2025. Part D now has three phases instead of four.
• The Medicare Prescription Payment Plan lets you spread your drug costs across the calendar year in monthly installments instead of paying at the pharmacy counter. It is optional.
• IRMAA surcharges (higher Part B and Part D premiums for higher incomes) begin above $109,000 for a single filer in 2026.

A SHIBA counselor can explain how any of these apply to your situation.

Key dates to keep in mind

• 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 are already in a Medicare Advantage plan, you get one chance to switch to another or return to Original Medicare.

Miss those windows and you generally have to wait until the next cycle, unless you qualify for a Special Enrollment Period (moving, losing other coverage, and similar life events).

About Star Ratings

Medicare rates plan contracts on a 1-to-5 star scale based on things like customer service, member complaints, and how well the plan manages chronic conditions. In Snohomish County, no contracts were rated 4 stars or higher for the 2026 plan year. Ratings are one data point among many — not a substitute for checking whether your doctors, hospitals, and medications are covered.