Medicare Advantage

How Greenbelt's Medicare Choices Compare Across the Metro

GREENBELT, Md. — If you live in Greenbelt and you're sizing up Medicare for the year ahead, it helps to see how your corner of the metro fits into the bigger picture. Plan availability isn't set city by city — it's drawn at the county line. That means the shelf of options you see here reflects what's offered across Prince George's County, and it can look different from what a friend in Montgomery, Anne Arundel or the District might see.

This snapshot walks through what's available nearby, using county-level counts from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). It's not a ranking and not a recommendation — just a lay of the land so you can walk into the shopping season with your bearings.

What's on the shelf in Prince George's County

Greenbelt is in Prince George's County, where CMS lists 34 Medicare Advantage plans available for the year. Seven carriers offer Medicare Advantage plans that include prescription drug coverage in the county.

One quirk worth flagging: CMS data shows zero stand-alone Part D drug plans listed separately in this area's landscape file. That doesn't mean people here go without drug coverage — many get it bundled inside a Medicare Advantage plan, or through Original Medicare paired with a Part D plan offered in the broader Maryland region. It's a good reason to check Medicare's Plan Finder for your exact ZIP code rather than assume.

How Greenbelt stacks up against neighbors

Because plan availability is county-level, someone in Silver Spring (Montgomery County), Bowie (Prince George's), Annapolis (Anne Arundel) or across the line in D.C. may see a different lineup, even though they're a short drive away. The number of carriers, the mix of HMO and PPO options, and which provider networks are in-network can all shift as you cross the county line.

If you split time between homes, or you're moving across the metro, that's worth knowing before enrollment. A plan available in your old ZIP code may not be sold in your new one.

About star ratings in the area

CMS rates Medicare Advantage and Part D contracts on a 1-to-5 scale, measuring things like customer service, member complaints, and how well plans manage chronic conditions. In the current landscape data for this area, no contracts are listed at 4 stars or higher — but ratings are updated each fall, and one contract often covers plans across many states, so the local picture can shift.

Star ratings are one input, not the whole story. Your doctors, your prescriptions, and how a plan handles referrals often matter just as much.

The rules that apply everywhere

No matter which county you're in, some Medicare rules are set nationally:

• Part D out-of-pocket cap: Once your covered drug spending hits the annual cap — $2,100 in 2026 and $2,400 in 2027 — you pay $0 more for covered drugs the rest of the year.
• Part D deductible: No plan may charge more than $615 as a drug deductible in 2026, or more than $700 in 2027.
• The "donut hole" is gone. As of 2025, Part D has three phases instead of four — no more coverage gap.
• Medicare Prescription Payment Plan: You can ask to spread your drug costs across the calendar year in monthly installments 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, that starts above $109,000 in income.

Dates to keep on the fridge

• Oct. 15 – Dec. 7: Annual Enrollment Period. You can join, switch, or drop Medicare Advantage and Part D plans. Changes take effect 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 another MA plan or return to Original Medicare.