Medicare 2026

Richland Medicare help from SHIP and local agencies

Sorting out Medicare in Richland can feel like a lot. Between mailers, TV ads, and phone calls, it's hard to know who is giving you straight answers and who is trying to sell you something. The good news: you have free, unbiased help close to home — and you also have licensed agents who can walk you through your options. Knowing the difference matters.

Start with SHIBA — Washington's SHIP

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

SHIBA counselors are trained volunteers who do not sell insurance and do not earn commissions. They can help you:

• Understand Original Medicare, Medicare Advantage, Part D, and Medigap.
• Compare plans side by side on Medicare.gov.
• Apply for programs that help with premiums and drug costs, like Extra Help or a Medicare Savings Program.
• Sort out a billing problem or a claim denial.

To reach SHIBA, call 1-800-562-6900 or visit insurance.wa.gov/shiba. In the Tri-Cities area, SHIBA works with local sponsor sites — often senior centers, hospitals, or community organizations — where you can meet with a counselor in person or by phone.

When a licensed agent makes sense

SHIBA counselors give you education and options. A licensed insurance agent or broker can actually enroll you in a plan. Both can be useful, but they play different roles.

A good agent should:

• Be licensed in Washington (you can verify this at insurance.wa.gov).
• Represent more than one carrier, so you see real choices.
• Explain how they're paid (usually a commission from the carrier).
• Never pressure you or ask for personal info before you're ready.

If an agent only offers one company's products, that's not wrong — but you're seeing a slice of the market, not the whole picture.

What's available in and around Richland

Richland is in Benton County, where 38 Medicare Advantage plans were offered in 2026, from 7 carriers that include prescription drug coverage. The 2027 lineup is described in each plan's ANOC and listed on Medicare.gov's Plan Finder. There are more than 33,000 residents age 65 and older in the county, so there's a strong local market and plenty of agents who work in this space.

Stand-alone Part D plans (for people who keep Original Medicare and want drug coverage) are counted separately by CMS and are available statewide in Washington — a SHIBA counselor or the Plan Finder tool at Medicare.gov can show you those side by side.

Key program rules worth knowing before any meeting

Whether you sit down with SHIBA or an agent, these program-level facts apply to everyone:

• Part D out-of-pocket cap: $2,100 in 2026 and $2,400 in 2027. Once you hit it, you pay nothing for covered drugs the rest of the year.
• Part D deductible: Plans cannot charge more than $615 in 2026 or more than $700 in 2027.
• The coverage gap ("donut hole") is gone as of 2025. Part D now has three phases instead of four.
• Medicare Prescription Payment Plan: You can ask to spread your drug costs into monthly payments instead of paying at the pharmacy counter.
• IRMAA: Higher-income beneficiaries pay more for Parts B and D. For 2026, surcharges start above $109,000 for a single filer.
• Enrollment windows: Annual Enrollment runs Oct. 15 – Dec. 7. Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment runs Jan. 1 – March 31.

How to decide who to call first

If you're brand new to Medicare, aging in, or just confused, start with SHIBA. A free hour with a counselor can save you weeks of second-guessing.

If you already understand the basics and want to compare and enroll in a specific plan, a licensed agent can move faster. You can also do both — get educated with SHIBA, then work with an agent to sign up.

Either way, bring a list of your prescriptions, your doctors, and any pharmacies you prefer. That's the information any honest helper will need.