Medicare Advantage

Gallup, NM Medicare plan counts for 2027

Gallup-area Medicare plan choices: what's available for McKinley County residents choosing 2027 coverage.

GALLUP, N.M. — If you're sorting through Medicare choices for 2027, it helps to know what's actually offered where you live. Plan availability in Medicare isn't set city by city — it's set county by county. Gallup sits in McKinley County, and the number of plans and carriers serving this corner of northwest New Mexico shapes what nearby residents can choose from during this fall's Annual Enrollment Period.

Here's a plain look at what's on the map for the Gallup area, plus a few nearby-area notes to give some perspective.

How plan availability works in the Gallup area

Medicare Advantage and Part D plans are approved by the federal government to serve specific counties. That's why two neighbors in different counties can see very different lists on Medicare's Plan Finder.

Gallup is the county seat of McKinley County. When you shop for 2027 coverage, the plans that appear for a Gallup ZIP code are the ones federally approved for McKinley County residents. About 9,712 people age 65 and older live in the county, according to Census figures, so the market here is smaller than in Albuquerque or other larger New Mexico metros — but there are still meaningful choices.

What the local numbers look like

For 2026, McKinley County residents had:

• 15 Medicare Advantage plans available (most include prescription drug coverage).
• 5 carriers offering Medicare Advantage with drug coverage (MA-PD) in the area.
• 0 stand-alone Part D plans currently listed for the county in the data reviewed. Because stand-alone Part D availability can change and is important for people who stay on Original Medicare, double-check this at Medicare.gov before making a decision.
• 0 contracts in the local area currently rated 4 stars or higher. Star Ratings are CMS's quality measure and are one input among many — not a ranking of which plan is right for you.

These are area counts only. They don't tell you which plan fits your doctors, your medications, or your budget — that's what Plan Finder and a SHIP counselor are for.

How Gallup compares to nearby areas

Because plan lists are county-based, driving 30 miles doesn't necessarily change what you can enroll in — your county of residence is what matters. Neighboring counties in northwest New Mexico and along the Arizona border have their own separate plan lineups, and totals can look quite different from McKinley County's. Rural counties across the Southwest generally have fewer carriers than urban metros, though the total number of plans in any one county has grown in recent years as insurers expand into new markets.

If you split time between counties — say, Gallup and somewhere else — your permanent address determines which plans you're eligible for.

Program-level facts to keep in mind

A few Medicare rules apply no matter which county you live in:

• Part D out-of-pocket cap: $2,100 in 2026 and $2,400 in 2027. Once you hit that in covered drug spending, you pay nothing more for the rest of the year on covered drugs.
• Part D maximum deductible: $615 in 2026 and $700 in 2027 (plans can set theirs lower).
• Coverage gap ("donut hole"): eliminated as of 2025. Part D now has three phases instead of four.
• Medicare Prescription Payment Plan: an option to spread your drug costs across monthly payments instead of paying at the pharmacy counter. It's free to opt in.
• IRMAA surcharges: higher-income beneficiaries pay more for Part B and Part D. For single filers in 2026, IRMAA begins above $109,000 in income.

Key dates for 2027 coverage

• October 15 – December 7, 2026: Annual Enrollment Period. Change your Medicare Advantage or Part D plan for coverage that starts January 1, 2027.
• January 1 – March 31: Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment. If you're already in a Medicare Advantage plan, you can switch once or drop back to Original Medicare.

Where to get personalized help

Plan counts are a starting point, not a decision. For a look at what's actually available at your address:

• Medicare.gov Plan Finder — the official tool, updated every fall.
• 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227) — available 24/7.
• New Mexico's SHIP (State Health Insurance Assistance Program), called ADRC/Benefits Counseling — free, unbiased one-on-one help. Call 1-800-432-2080.