Medicare Advantage

How many Medicare plans can Billings residents actually pick from?

If you live in Billings and you're trying to figure out how many Medicare choices are on the table for 2027, here's the short answer: quite a few — and it helps to know what's actually being counted before you start shopping.

Billings is in Yellowstone County, where 26 Medicare Advantage plans were available for 2026, according to CMS Medicare Advantage and Part D Landscape data. The 2027 lineup is detailed in each plan's ANOC and on Medicare.gov's Plan Finder — that's the pool a local shopper will be choosing from during this fall's enrollment window.

What "26 plans" actually means

The 26 figure counts Medicare Advantage plans — the private, all-in-one alternative to Original Medicare — offered in Yellowstone County for 2026. It does not count Original Medicare itself (Parts A and B), which is available to everyone who qualifies, no matter where they live. The 2027 count is in each plan's ANOC and on Medicare.gov's Plan Finder.

Four carriers offer Medicare Advantage plans with drug coverage (MA-PD) in the area. Some carriers offer more than one plan, which is why the plan count is higher than the carrier count. Different plans from the same carrier can have very different rules, networks, and drug lists.

What about stand-alone drug plans?

Stand-alone Part D prescription drug plans are counted separately. These are the plans people pair with Original Medicare when they want drug coverage but don't want a Medicare Advantage plan.

Stand-alone Part D plan availability is set regionally by CMS, and the specific count for your area can shift year to year. To see the current list of stand-alone Part D plans available to a Billings ZIP code, the accurate place to check is the Plan Finder at medicare.gov.

Star Ratings, briefly

You'll see "Star Ratings" attached to Medicare Advantage and Part D contracts on medicare.gov. CMS rates contracts on a 1-to-5 scale based on things like customer service, member complaints, and quality of care. Ratings are updated each fall.

For 2026, no contracts serving the Yellowstone County area were rated 4 stars or higher. Updated ratings for 2027 are posted on medicare.gov. Ratings are one input among many — network, drug coverage, and how a plan fits your doctors and prescriptions usually matter more to day-to-day experience.

Program-wide changes worth knowing for 2027

A few things apply no matter which plan you look at:

• Part D out-of-pocket cap: Once your covered drug spending hits the annual cap, you pay nothing more for covered drugs the rest of the year. The cap is $2,100 in 2026 and $2,400 in 2027.
• Part D deductible: No Part D plan can charge a deductible above $615 in 2026, or above $700 in 2027.
• No more donut hole: As of 2025, Part D has three phases instead of four. The old coverage gap is gone.
• Medicare Prescription Payment Plan: You can choose to spread your drug costs across the calendar 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 starts above $109,000 in income (based on your 2024 tax return).

Dates to put on the fridge

• Oct. 15 – Dec. 7: 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. If you're already in a Medicare Advantage plan, you get one chance to switch to another Advantage plan or return to Original Medicare (and add a Part D plan).

Where to get answers you can trust

With 26 Medicare Advantage plans in Yellowstone County plus stand-alone drug plans and Original Medicare in the mix, it's worth taking the time to compare — and to ask questions before you enroll.

• medicare.gov — The Plan Finder lets you enter your ZIP code and prescriptions to see every plan available to you.
• 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227) — Available 24/7.
• Montana SHIP (State Health Insurance Assistance Program) — Free, unbiased local counseling for Montana Medicare beneficiaries. Call 1-800-551-3191.