Medicare Advantage

Medicare in Jonesboro, AR: 2027 Options

Medicare in Jonesboro: plan option counts for Craighead County, with 2027 enrollment dates and Part D rules explained.

JONESBORO, Ark. — If you're sorting through Medicare choices this fall for 2027 coverage, here's the local picture: Jonesboro is in Craighead County, where 49 Medicare Advantage plans were available for 2026, offered by 6 carriers. The 2027 lineup is in each plan's Annual Notice of Change and on Medicare.gov's Plan Finder — and the good news is you don't have to sort it out alone.

What "49 plans" actually means

Medicare plan availability is set at the county level, not by ZIP code or city. So when we say Jonesboro residents can choose from 49 Medicare Advantage plans, we're talking about the plans CMS lists as available to anyone living in Craighead County.

Those 49 plans come from 6 different carriers. Some carriers offer just one plan; others offer several versions with different networks, drug coverage, or extras. Nearly 15,723 people age 65 and up live in the county, so insurers see Craighead as a market worth competing in.

Stand-alone Part D in the area

CMS data for 2026 showed 0 stand-alone Part D prescription drug plans tied specifically to this county's landscape file. In practice, Arkansas residents on Original Medicare still have access to stand-alone Part D plans offered statewide — but if you want drug coverage bundled into a Medicare Advantage plan (an MA-PD), that's where most of the local choice sat. The 2027 lineup is in each plan's ANOC and on Medicare.gov's Plan Finder.

If you take prescription medications, this is worth talking through with a licensed agent or a SHIP counselor before you enroll.

Star Ratings in Craighead County

CMS assigns Star Ratings (1 to 5) to Medicare Advantage and Part D contracts each year, based on member experience, customer service, and clinical measures. In the Craighead County landscape for 2026, 0 contracts carried a rating of 4 stars or higher. Updated ratings for 2027 appear on Medicare.gov's Plan Finder.

Star Ratings are one data point among many. They can be useful background, but they don't tell you whether a plan covers your doctor, your hospital, or your prescriptions — that comes from checking each plan directly.

Part D rules that apply nationally in 2027

No matter which plan you pick, some Medicare rules are set nationally. For Part D in 2027:

• Part D out-of-pocket cap: Once you spend $2,100 in 2026 ($2,400 in 2027) out of pocket on covered prescriptions in a calendar year, you pay $0 for the rest of the year.
• Part D deductible: No Part D plan can charge more than $615 in 2026 ($700 in 2027) as its annual drug deductible.
• No more donut hole: The coverage gap was eliminated starting in 2025. Part D now has three phases instead of four.
• Medicare Prescription Payment Plan: You can choose to spread your out-of-pocket drug costs across the year in monthly payments instead of paying at the pharmacy counter.
• IRMAA: Higher-income beneficiaries pay a surcharge on Part B and Part D premiums. For a single filer in 2026, IRMAA begins above $109,000 in income.

Dates to circle

• October 15 – December 7: Annual Enrollment Period. You can join, switch, or drop a Medicare Advantage or Part D plan. Changes take effect January 1.
• January 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 (and add a Part D plan).

How to compare 49 plans without losing your mind

A few tips that consistently help:

1. Start with your doctors and hospitals. Check whether each plan's network includes the providers you already use. 2. Add your prescriptions. The Medicare Plan Finder at medicare.gov lets you enter your drugs and preferred pharmacy and see estimated yearly costs. 3. Think about how you travel. If you split time between states or visit family often, ask how each plan handles out-of-area care. 4. Get free, unbiased help. Arkansas SHIIP (the State Health Insurance Assistance Program) offers one-on-one counseling at no cost.