Medicare Advantage

Live near Yuma? Here's how Medicare plan choices compare county by county

If you live in or near Yuma, Arizona, the number of Medicare plans available to you depends less on your street address than on your county line. Medicare Advantage and Part D plan availability is set by the federal government at the county level, so a short drive can put you in a different plan landscape entirely.

Medicare AdvantageYuma, AZ

A quick look at how Medicare options line up around Yuma

Yuma is in Yuma County, where 26 Medicare Advantage plans were available for 2026, offered by 6 carriers that provide MA-PD coverage (Medicare Advantage with prescription drug coverage built in). The 2027 lineup is detailed in each plan's Annual Notice of Change and on Medicare.gov's Plan Finder. About 43,769 people age 65 and older live in the county, giving this corner of southwest Arizona a sizable Medicare population to serve.

This article walks through what those county-level counts mean, how availability can shift as you move between neighboring counties, and where to look up the plan list for your own address.

Why county lines matter more than city limits

Medicare plans are approved to sell in specific counties. That means two neighbors who live a few miles apart — but on opposite sides of a county line — can end up with different plan menus. When you use the Plan Finder tool at medicare.gov, it asks for your ZIP code and then narrows the results to plans approved in your county.

For most Yuma residents, that county is Yuma County. If you split time between Yuma and another part of Arizona, or you're considering a move, it's worth checking the plan list for each county separately rather than assuming they match.

What the Yuma County numbers show heading into 2027

Here is the area-level snapshot for Yuma County, drawn from CMS Medicare Advantage and Part D Landscape data:

• 26 Medicare Advantage plans available in the county.
• 6 carriers offering Medicare Advantage plans that include drug coverage (MA-PD).
• 0 stand-alone Part D plans listed for the county in the 2026 data; the 2027 list is on Medicare.gov's Plan Finder.
• 43,769 residents age 65 and older.

A few things to note. First, 26 plans is a healthy menu — larger than what many rural counties see. Second, when the stand-alone Part D count is zero, it usually means people who want prescription coverage get it through a Medicare Advantage plan that already includes drugs, or by pairing Original Medicare with other coverage. If you rely on Original Medicare and want a separate drug plan, this is a detail worth confirming with medicare.gov or 1-800-MEDICARE for your exact address.

How nearby areas can look different

Across Arizona, some counties have far more Medicare Advantage plans than others, and some have fewer carriers competing. Metro counties near Phoenix and Tucson typically show larger plan menus, while more rural counties often have shorter lists. Yuma County sits somewhere in the middle — a solid set of choices without the sprawl of a big-city market.

If you travel often or spend part of the year elsewhere, remember that your Medicare Advantage plan's network usually follows the county where you live. Snowbirds and cross-border commuters should ask any plan how it handles care received outside its service area.

What "star ratings" mean here

You may notice that no contracts serving Yuma County were rated 4 stars or higher in the 2026 data. Star Ratings are CMS's way of scoring plan quality across things like customer service, member complaints, and preventive care. Ratings can change year to year, and a lower or missing rating doesn't automatically mean a plan is a poor fit — it's one piece of information among many. You can view current star information for any plan on medicare.gov.

Key dates to keep in mind

• Oct. 15 – Dec. 7: Annual Enrollment Period. You can join, switch, or drop a Medicare Advantage or Part D plan.
• Jan. 1 – March 31: Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment. If you're already in a Medicare Advantage plan, you can switch to another Medicare Advantage plan or return to Original Medicare (and add a Part D plan if you need one).

For 2026, the Part D out-of-pocket drug cost cap is $2,100, the maximum Part D deductible is $615, and the old coverage gap (the "donut hole") is no longer part of the drug benefit — drug coverage now moves through three phases. Higher-income beneficiaries may pay IRMAA surcharges, which begin above $109,000 in income for a single filer in 2026.