Medicare Advantage

Medicare plan counts for San Tan Valley this year

Shopping for Medicare coverage can feel easier when you know what's actually available near you. For folks in and around San Tan Valley, the local plan landscape has grown steadily, and the choices reach beyond the town line into neighboring parts of the metro. Here's a plain-language snapshot of what was offered for 2026, how the pieces fit together, and where to get help sorting out your 2027 choices.

Where San Tan Valley fits on the map

San Tan Valley is in Pinal County, which sits between the Phoenix and Tucson metros. Medicare plan availability is set at the county level, not the city level. That means every neighbor on your street sees the same list of plans you do, and folks a few miles away in Maricopa County may see a different list.

For 2026, Pinal County had 68 Medicare Advantage plans available, offered by 14 different carriers. There were no stand-alone Part D drug plans listed for the county that year, so people who wanted drug coverage generally got it bundled into a Medicare Advantage plan (called MA-PD). About 101,000 people age 65 and older live in the county, so plans compete for a sizable audience. The 2027 plan list is in each plan's ANOC and on Medicare.gov's Plan Finder.

Why "nearby" matters when comparing

If you spend part of the year in another county — or you split time between San Tan Valley and, say, a home in Mesa or Gilbert — the plan menu changes when the county changes. Medicare Advantage networks and drug lists (formularies) are tied to a specific service area.

A few practical takeaways:

• The plan you sign up for is based on your permanent address.
• If you move, you get a Special Enrollment Period to switch.
• Snowbirds should ask each plan how it handles care outside the service area.

What star ratings do (and don't) tell you

Medicare rates each contract on a 1-to-5 scale based on things like customer service, member complaints, and how well the plan manages chronic conditions. Higher-rated contracts get more stars.

In Pinal County, no contracts currently sit at 4 stars or higher for the measured period. That doesn't automatically mean plans are "bad" — ratings shift year to year, and they measure the contract, not your personal experience. Use star ratings as one data point, alongside your doctors, your prescriptions, and your budget.

Numbers worth knowing for 2026 and 2027

Some Medicare rules are the same no matter where you live. A few figures to know:

• Part D out-of-pocket drug costs are capped at $2,100. Once you hit that, covered drugs cost nothing more for the rest of the year.
• The Part D deductible can be no higher than $615.
• The old "donut hole" is gone as of 2025. Part D now has three phases instead of four.
• The Medicare Prescription Payment Plan lets you spread drug costs across the year in monthly bills instead of paying big amounts at the pharmacy counter.
• IRMAA — an extra premium surcharge — kicks in for single filers with income above $109,000 (based on your tax return from two years earlier).

How to actually decide

With 68 plans in the county, comparing every option side by side isn't realistic. Try this shorter path:

1. List your doctors and pharmacies. Networks matter more than glossy brochures. 2. List your prescriptions with dosages. Drug coverage varies plan by plan. 3. Use the Plan Finder at medicare.gov. It filters plans by your ZIP code and drugs. 4. Check total yearly costs, not just monthly premiums — deductibles and copays add up. 5. Ask about extras you'll really use, like dental, vision, hearing, or transportation.

If it feels like a lot, that's normal. A SHIP counselor can walk through it with you at no cost.

Key dates to circle

• Oct. 15 – Dec. 7: Annual Enrollment Period. Join, switch, or drop a Medicare Advantage or Part D plan.
• Jan. 1 – March 31: Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment. If you're already in an MA plan, you get one chance to switch to another MA plan or return to Original Medicare.
• Special Enrollment Periods: Triggered by life events like moving or losing other coverage.