Medicare Advantage

Marion, IA Medicare Plan Tally 2027

MARION, Iowa — If you're sorting through Medicare choices in Marion this fall for 2027 coverage, here's the local lay of the land: Linn County had 33 Medicare Advantage plans available for 2026, according to CMS Medicare Plan Finder data. The 2027 lineup is detailed in each plan's Annual Notice of Change and on Medicare.gov's Plan Finder. It helps to know what those numbers mean before you open a single brochure.

What "33 plans" actually means in Linn County

Medicare plan availability is set at the county level, not the city level. So when we say Marion had 33 Medicare Advantage options, what we really mean is: Marion is in Linn County, where 33 Medicare Advantage plans appeared on the CMS Landscape file for 2026. The 2027 lineup is in each plan's ANOC and on Medicare.gov's Plan Finder.

Those 33 plans come from 9 different carriers. That's useful context — it tells you the market has real competition, but it also means several of the "plans" you'll see are variations offered by the same insurance company. Two plans from the same carrier can look almost identical on the surface and behave very differently once you use them.

The Part D picture looks unusual — here's why

One number worth knowing: Iowa has 11 stand-alone Part D prescription drug plans for 2026, sold statewide, per CMS's Part D Landscape data. For 2027, check each plan's ANOC and Medicare.gov's Plan Finder.

That doesn't mean Marion residents can't get drug coverage. It means the drug coverage most local Medicare Advantage shoppers will consider is built into their Advantage plan (an "MA-PD"). If you stay with Original Medicare and want drug coverage, it's worth calling 1-800-MEDICARE or checking medicare.gov directly to confirm what stand-alone options apply to your ZIP code, because the Landscape file and Plan Finder don't always tell the same story on a given day.

Star Ratings in the area

CMS rates Medicare contracts on a 1-to-5 star scale for quality and member experience. Under CMS's 2026 Star Ratings, of the 13 Medicare Advantage contracts offering plans in Linn County, 12 have a 2026 Star Rating and 6 of those are rated 4 stars or higher.

A word of caution on what that does and doesn't mean: Star Ratings are assigned to contracts, not to every single plan variation, and ratings shift year to year. Ratings are one input among many — network, drug list, and how a plan handles your specific doctors and prescriptions usually matter more day to day.

Who this affects in Marion

Linn County is home to about 39,802 residents age 65 and older. That's a sizable share of neighbors making the same decisions you are this fall — comparing coverage, checking whether their doctors are still in-network, and looking at how their prescriptions are covered.

If you're new to Medicare, aging in, or just re-shopping during Annual Enrollment, the volume of options is real. Thirty-three is a lot. The good news is you don't have to compare all 33 head-to-head — Plan Finder on medicare.gov lets you narrow by your drugs, your pharmacy, and your doctors.

Program facts worth knowing for 2026 and 2027

A few things that apply everywhere, not just Linn County, as you compare 2026 and 2027:

• Part D out-of-pocket cap: $2,100 in 2026 ($2,400 in 2027) for the year.
• Part D maximum deductible: $615 in 2026 ($700 in 2027).
• The old "donut hole" is gone. Since 2025, Part D has three phases instead of four.
• Medicare Prescription Payment Plan: An optional program that lets you spread drug costs across the year in monthly installments instead of paying big amounts at the pharmacy counter.
• IRMAA: Higher-income surcharges on Part B and Part D premiums begin above $109,000 in income for a single filer in 2026.

Key dates for Marion residents

• Oct. 15 – Dec. 7: Medicare Annual Enrollment Period. This is when you can join, switch, or drop a Medicare Advantage or Part D plan for coverage starting Jan. 1.
• Jan. 1 – March 31: Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment. If you're already in a Medicare Advantage plan, you get one chance to switch to a different Advantage plan or return to Original Medicare.