Medicare Advantage

Sizing Up Medicare in Saginaw: How Many Choices Do You Really Have?

SAGINAW, Mich. — If you're turning 65 in Saginaw or thinking about switching your Medicare coverage for 2027, the first question is often the simplest: how many options are actually on the table? For Saginaw County residents, the answer is a lot — enough that sorting through them takes a plan, not just an afternoon.

Saginaw is in Saginaw County, where 71 Medicare Advantage plans were available for 2026, according to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Plan Finder data. Ten different carriers offered Medicare Advantage plans that include prescription drug coverage (MA-PD) in the county. The 2027 lineup is detailed in each plan's Annual Notice of Change and on Medicare.gov's Plan Finder. With roughly 38,429 residents age 65 and older, that's a wide field of choices to weigh.

What the count actually means

A "plan" in Medicare Advantage isn't the same thing as a carrier. One insurance company might offer several plans in the same county — different networks, different drug formularies, different structures like HMO or PPO. That's how Saginaw County lands at 71 Medicare Advantage plans from just 10 carriers.

The count itself doesn't tell you which plan fits your doctors, your prescriptions, or your budget. It just tells you the size of the shopping aisle. Narrowing 71 down to a short list usually comes from filtering by the things that matter to you personally.

Part D drug coverage in the Saginaw area

Medicare drug coverage comes in two forms: built into a Medicare Advantage plan (an MA-PD), or as a stand-alone Part D plan that pairs with Original Medicare. All 10 carriers offering Medicare Advantage in Saginaw County include drug coverage in at least some of their plans.

Stand-alone Part D plans are sold at the state and regional level rather than the county level, so you can compare the drug-only plans available to you by entering your ZIP code at medicare.gov.

Two program-level numbers to keep in mind for 2027:

• The Part D out-of-pocket cap is $2,400 in 2027 (it was $2,100 in 2026). Once your covered drug spending reaches that amount, you pay nothing more for covered drugs the rest of the year.
• The maximum Part D deductible is $700 in 2027 (it was $615 in 2026). Individual plans may set a lower deductible.

The old "donut hole" coverage gap was eliminated in 2025, so Part D now runs in three phases instead of four. If drug costs are hard to manage month to month, the Medicare Prescription Payment Plan lets you spread your out-of-pocket drug costs across the calendar year in level monthly amounts.

About Star Ratings

CMS publishes Star Ratings (1 to 5 stars) each fall to measure how plans perform on things like customer service, member complaints, and preventive care. In the Saginaw County area, no contracts were rated 4 stars or higher for 2026; the 2027 ratings are posted on Medicare.gov's Plan Finder.

Star Ratings are one input among many. They're a useful signal, but they don't replace checking whether your doctors are in network or whether your prescriptions are on a plan's formulary.

Dates to circle

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

If your income is above $109,000 as a single filer (2026 figure), you may also owe an IRMAA surcharge on top of your Part B and Part D premiums. That's based on your tax return from two years earlier.

How to compare 71 plans without losing your weekend

A few practical steps most Saginaw-area readers find helpful:

1. Make a list of your prescriptions, including dosages. Formularies vary widely. 2. Write down the doctors and hospitals you want to keep. Covenant HealthCare and Ascension St. Mary's are the big local systems; network participation varies by plan. 3. Use the official Plan Finder at medicare.gov. Enter your ZIP code and medications; it'll narrow the field for you. 4. Call Michigan's SHIP — the MMAP program — at 1-800-803-7174 for free, unbiased one-on-one help. Counselors don't sell insurance.