Medicare Advantage

Medicare in Saratoga Springs: 53 Plan Choices for 2026

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. — If you're turning 65 in the Spa City, or already on Medicare and thinking about a change, you have a lot to sort through this fall. Saratoga Springs sits in Saratoga County, where 53 Medicare Advantage plans are available for the 2026 plan year, according to CMS Landscape data.

Saratoga Springs Sees Wide Range of Medicare Choices for 2026

That's a big menu — and it's why many local retirees say the hardest part of Medicare isn't understanding the program, it's narrowing down the options. This article walks through the counts (not the benefits), so you can see the landscape before you sit down with a licensed agent, SHIP counselor, or medicare.gov.

What's Available in Saratoga County This Year

Here's the plain-numbers snapshot for the county, which is how Medicare draws availability lines:

• 53 Medicare Advantage plans offered countywide
• 10 carriers offering Medicare Advantage with prescription drug coverage (MA-PD)
• 0 stand-alone Part D drug plans listed in the county's MA-PD landscape file (stand-alone PDPs are sold by region, so New Yorkers still have PDP options available through medicare.gov — they're just counted separately from the local MA-PD landscape)
• Roughly 47,584 residents age 65 and older across Saratoga County

Availability is set at the county level, so a neighbor in Clifton Park or Ballston Spa sees the same list of plans you do in Saratoga Springs.

Why the Number Feels So Big

Fifty-three is a lot. Nationally, Medicare Advantage menus have grown quickly over the last decade, and upstate New York is no exception. More carriers, more plan designs (HMO, PPO, Special Needs Plans), and more variations within each carrier all add up.

More choice can be good — but it also means it's worth taking your time. You don't need to compare all 53. Most people can quickly rule out plans that don't include their doctors, their pharmacy, or their specific medications.

Star Ratings: What They Are, and What They Aren't

CMS publishes Star Ratings each year — a 1-to-5 scale that reflects things like customer service, member complaints, and clinical measures. In Saratoga County this year, no contracts serving the area carry a rating of 4 stars or higher in the current landscape file. That doesn't mean the plans are "bad" — some plans are too new to be rated, and ratings can shift year to year.

Stars are one signal among many. Your doctor network, your drug list, and your total expected costs usually matter more to your day-to-day experience than a star number.

Key 2026 Program Facts Every Saratoga Reader Should Know

These apply nationwide, not just locally, but they'll shape decisions this fall:

• Part D out-of-pocket cap: $2,100 for 2026. Once your covered drug spending hits that ceiling, you're done paying for the year on covered drugs.
• Part D maximum deductible: $615.
• The "donut hole" is gone. As of 2025, Part D has three phases instead of four — no more coverage gap.
• Medicare Prescription Payment Plan: An optional program that lets you spread your drug costs across the calendar year in monthly installments instead of paying at the pharmacy counter.
• IRMAA surcharges (higher Part B and Part D premiums for higher earners) begin above $109,000 in income for a single filer in 2026.
• Annual Enrollment Period: October 15 – December 7.
• Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period: January 1 – March 31, for people already in a Medicare Advantage plan who want to switch or return to Original Medicare.

How to Actually Narrow 53 Plans Down

You do not need a spreadsheet. A short checklist works for most people:

1. List your doctors and hospitals. Saratoga Hospital, Albany Med, and specialists you already see. 2. List your prescriptions — names, doses, how often. 3. Note your preferred pharmacy. 4. Run those details through the Plan Finder tool at medicare.gov, which filters the county's plans against your specifics. 5. If you want a human, call 1-800-MEDICARE or reach out to New York's SHIP program (HIICAP) for free, unbiased counseling.