Medicare Advantage

Des Plaines Medicare: 2027 options count

People in Des Plaines can choose from 67 Medicare Advantage plans for 2027, against 78 this year. 17 of this year’s plans are gone, 6 are new to Cook County, and 30 that continue have changed their premium, deductible, plan type or name, 9 of them under a new name.

A snapshot of Medicare plan counts around Des Plaines for 2027, based on CMS Landscape data for Cook County, Illinois.

DES PLAINES, Ill. — If you live in or around Des Plaines and you're sorting through your Medicare choices, it helps to know what the local landscape looks like. Plan availability in Medicare is set at the county level, so where you live inside the Chicago metro shapes what shows up when you shop. Des Plaines sits in Cook County, but neighbors just up the road may live in Lake, DuPage, Kane, or McHenry counties — and each of those counties has its own separate list of plans.

This snapshot walks through how availability works across nearby areas, what the counts look like in Cook County, and where to get personalized help.

Why your county matters more than your ZIP code

Medicare Advantage and Part D plans are approved and sold based on the county you live in. That's why two people who both say they live "near Chicago" can end up with very different plan lists. A reader in Des Plaines pulls from Cook County's menu. A friend a short drive north in Lake County pulls from a different menu. Same metro, different rules.

When you use the Plan Finder at medicare.gov, the site asks for your ZIP code and then narrows results to your county. That's the number that really drives what you see.

What the counts look like in Cook County

Des Plaines is in Cook County, where 78 Medicare Advantage plans are available for the current plan year, according to CMS Landscape data. Twelve carriers offer Medicare Advantage plans that include prescription drug coverage (often called MA-PD).

CMS data also shows 0 stand-alone Part D drug plans listed at the county-file level for this area — a reminder that most drug coverage locally is bundled inside Medicare Advantage plans rather than sold separately. If you stay with Original Medicare and want drug coverage, a licensed agent or medicare.gov can confirm which stand-alone Part D options apply to your address.

Cook County is home to roughly 827,000 people age 65 and older, which is one reason carriers offer a wide slate of plans here.

How nearby counties compare in general terms

Plan counts across the Chicago metro tend to be robust, but they're not identical. Suburban counties like DuPage, Lake, Kane, Will, and McHenry each have their own carrier lineups and plan totals. Some carriers serve most of the metro; others focus on just one or two counties. The practical takeaway: if you move — even a short distance — recheck your options during your next enrollment window, because your county file may change.

Star Ratings, briefly

CMS publishes Star Ratings each year to give consumers a general quality signal for Medicare Advantage and Part D contracts. Ratings run from 1 to 5 stars and reflect things like customer service, member experience, and how well plans manage chronic conditions. In this area, CMS currently lists 0 contracts rated 4 stars or higher in the county file we reviewed; ratings can shift year to year, so it's worth checking the current list on medicare.gov when you shop.

Ratings are one input among many. They aren't a recommendation, and the "right" plan still depends on your doctors, your medications, and your budget.

Key dates and 2027 program facts to keep in mind

• Annual Enrollment Period: Oct. 15 – Dec. 7. This is when most people can join, switch, or drop a Medicare Advantage or Part D plan.
• Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period: Jan. 1 – March 31. If you're already in a Medicare Advantage plan, you get one chance to switch to another MA plan or return to Original Medicare.
• Part D out-of-pocket cap (2027): $2,400. Once you hit that in covered drug costs, you pay nothing more for covered drugs the rest of the year.
• Part D maximum deductible (2027): $700.
• Coverage gap: The old "donut hole" was eliminated in 2025. Part D now has three phases instead of four.
• Medicare Prescription Payment Plan: An optional program that lets you spread your drug costs out in monthly payments instead of paying at the pharmacy counter.
• IRMAA: Higher-income surcharges on Part B and Part D begin above $109,000 in income for a single filer in 2026.

Where to get personalized help

Plan availability numbers are a starting point, not a decision. To figure out which plan actually fits your doctors, your prescriptions, and your budget, use one of these free, unbiased resources:

• medicare.gov — the official Plan Finder lets you enter your ZIP and drugs.
• 1-800-MEDICARE — available 24/7.
• Illinois SHIP (Senior Health Insurance Program) — free one-on-one counseling from trained volunteers, with no sales pitch.