Medicare Advantage

Medicare in South Kingstown: counting your 2026 options

South Kingstown, R.I. — If you're turning 65 in South Kingstown, or already on Medicare and thinking about a switch for 2027, the first question is usually the simplest: how many choices do I actually have? The short answer for Washington County residents is that there are plenty — and knowing the count is the first step to narrowing it down without feeling overwhelmed.

How many Medicare options are available here for 2027

South Kingstown is in Washington County, where 22 Medicare Advantage plans were available for 2026, according to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Plan Finder data. Those plans came from 4 carriers offering Medicare Advantage with prescription drug coverage (MA-PD) in the county. The 2027 lineup is in each plan's Annual Notice of Change and on Medicare.gov's Plan Finder.

A few things worth knowing about that number:

• Twenty-two is the count of Medicare Advantage plans, not the total universe of Medicare choices. You also have the option of staying with Original Medicare (Parts A and B) and, if you want, adding a Medigap (Medicare Supplement) policy.
• CMS lists 0 stand-alone Part D prescription drug plans attributed at the Washington County level in the current landscape file. That doesn't mean drug coverage is unavailable — Part D plans in Rhode Island are typically offered statewide, and you can compare them by ZIP code at medicare.gov.
• Zero contracts in the local landscape currently carry a 4-star or higher overall rating. Star Ratings are one tool among many — they measure things like customer service and care quality — and CMS updates them each year.

With more than 30,000 residents age 65 and older in Washington County, this is a decision a lot of your neighbors are making right alongside you.

What "22 plans" really means for your decision

Twenty-two options can feel like a lot. But most people don't need to seriously compare all of them. Here's a simple way to think about it:

1. Decide your path first. Original Medicare + Part D (+ optional Medigap), or Medicare Advantage? These are two different structures, not two flavors of the same thing. 2. If you choose Advantage, narrow the 22 plans by what matters to you: your doctors and hospitals being in-network, your prescriptions being on the formulary, and whether you travel often. 3. If you choose Original Medicare, your comparison shifts to Part D drug plans and, separately, whether to buy a Medigap policy.

You don't have to do this alone. Rhode Island's SHIP program (called SHIP-RI) provides free, unbiased counseling — that's the appropriate place to get one-on-one help, not a sales call.

The 2027 numbers that apply to everyone

No matter which of the 22 plans (or which path) you choose, some rules are set by Medicare itself:

• Part D out-of-pocket cap: $2,100 for 2026 and $2,400 for 2027. Once your out-of-pocket drug spending hits that amount, you pay nothing for covered Part D drugs the rest of the year.
• Part D maximum deductible: $615 in 2026 and $700 in 2027 (plans can set a lower deductible, but not higher).
• The coverage gap ("donut hole") is gone as of 2025. Part D now has three phases instead of four.
• The Medicare Prescription Payment Plan lets you spread your out-of-pocket drug costs across the calendar year in monthly installments instead of paying at the pharmacy counter. It's optional.
• IRMAA — the income-related surcharge on Part B and Part D — begins above $109,000 in income for a single filer in 2026.

Key dates to circle

• Annual Enrollment Period (AEP): October 15 – December 7. This is when most people compare and switch plans for the following year.
• Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment: January 1 – March 31. If you're already in a Medicare Advantage plan and want to change to another Advantage plan or switch back to Original Medicare, this window is for you.

How to compare the 22 plans without losing your weekend

• Go to medicare.gov/plan-compare, enter your South Kingstown ZIP code, and add your prescriptions and preferred pharmacies. The tool will personalize the list.
• Call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227), 24/7, for help from Medicare directly.
• Contact SHIP-RI (Rhode Island's State Health Insurance Assistance Program) for free local counseling.
• Check with your own doctors' offices to confirm which plans they participate in for 2027 — networks can shift year to year.