Medicare Advantage

Medicare in Great Falls, Cascade County MT

Medicare options in Cascade County: 2026 plan counts, 2027 Part D figures, and how to compare during the fall 2026 AEP.

GREAT FALLS, Mont. — If you're turning 65 soon or looking at your Medicare choices for 2027, here's the short version: there are plenty of options to sort through during this fall's Annual Enrollment Period. Great Falls sits in Cascade County, where Medicare plan availability is set. According to CMS Medicare Plan Finder data, Cascade County had 21 Medicare Advantage plans available for 2026, offered by 3 carriers. The 2027 lineup is described in each plan's ANOC and on Medicare.gov's Plan Finder. That's a lot of paperwork — but it's also a lot of room to find a fit.

What "21 options" actually means

The 21 figure counts Medicare Advantage plans (Part C) offered in Cascade County for 2026; three carriers offered these plans in the county. These are plans that bundle your Part A (hospital), Part B (medical), and usually Part D (drugs) into one plan from a private insurer. For the 2027 lineup, check each plan's ANOC or Medicare.gov's Plan Finder.

You'll also see other flavors of coverage in Medicare — Original Medicare (Parts A and B) run directly by the federal government, plus optional Medigap (Medicare Supplement) policies you can pair with Original Medicare. Those aren't part of the 21 count, but they're still on the table.

One note for Cascade County: CMS Landscape data showed 0 stand-alone Part D drug plans listed at the county level for 2026 in the file we reviewed. If you want drug coverage for 2027 and you're not choosing a Medicare Advantage plan that includes it, check medicare.gov's Plan Finder directly to confirm what stand-alone Part D plans serve your ZIP code.

How to narrow 21 plans down to one

Twenty-one choices can feel like too many. A simple way to shrink the list:

1. Start with your doctors and hospital. Check each plan's provider network before anything else. If your primary care doctor or Benefis Health System specialist isn't in-network, that plan drops off your list. 2. Add your prescriptions. Enter your exact medications and doses into Medicare's Plan Finder. Drug coverage varies a lot plan to plan. 3. Look at the total yearly cost estimate, not just the monthly premium. Plan Finder will estimate your full year — premium plus expected drug and medical costs. 4. Check the plan's rules. Does it require referrals? Prior authorization for certain services? Is it an HMO, PPO, or something else?

What Star Ratings tell you (and don't)

CMS publishes Star Ratings (1 to 5 stars) for Medicare Advantage and Part D contracts based on quality and member experience. They're a useful data point, but they measure a contract overall — not necessarily your personal experience with your doctor. Use them as one factor among several, not the whole decision.

Key numbers to know for 2026 and 2027

These apply nationwide, not just in Great Falls:

• Part D out-of-pocket cap: $2,100 in 2026 and $2,400 in 2027. Once you spend that on covered drugs in a given year, you pay nothing more for covered drugs the rest of that year.
• Part D maximum deductible: $615 in 2026 and $700 in 2027.
• Coverage gap ("donut hole"): Eliminated as of 2025. Part D now has three phases instead of four.
• Medicare Prescription Payment Plan: An optional program that lets you spread your drug costs across monthly payments instead of paying all at once at the pharmacy.
• IRMAA: Higher-income Medicare beneficiaries pay a surcharge on Part B and Part D premiums. For a single filer in 2026, IRMAA starts above $109,000 in income.

Mark these dates

• Annual Enrollment Period (AEP): October 15 – December 7. This is when most people compare, switch, or drop plans. Changes take effect January 1.
• Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period: January 1 – March 31. If you're already in a Medicare Advantage plan and want to switch to a different one — or go back to Original Medicare — you get one change during this window.

Missing AEP can mean waiting a full year to make a change, so put those dates on the fridge.

Where to get real, unbiased help in Great Falls

You don't have to figure this out alone, and you don't have to talk to a salesperson to get answers.

• Medicare.gov — the official Plan Finder tool lets you enter your ZIP code, drugs, and doctors and see side-by-side comparisons.
• 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227) — 24/7, free.
• SHIP-Montana (State Health Insurance Assistance Program) — free, one-on-one counseling from trained volunteers who don't sell insurance. Call 1-800-551-3191 to find a counselor near Great Falls.

With around 16,614 people age 65 or older in Cascade County, plenty of your neighbors are working through the same decisions. Take your time, use the tools, and ask questions.