Medicare Advantage

Goose Creek Medicare Advantage: a look at 2026 plan counts

GOOSE CREEK, S.C. — If you're turning 65 soon or already on Medicare here in the Lowcountry, one thing is clear heading into 2027: you have a lot to sort through. Goose Creek sits in Berkeley County, where 67 Medicare Advantage plans are offered for 2026, according to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) plan landscape data. The 2027 lineup is described in each plan's Annual Notice of Change and on Medicare.gov's Plan Finder.

That's a lot of options on paper. The good news is that you don't have to compare all 67 line by line. A little structure goes a long way — and that's what this guide is for.

What "67 plans" actually means

Medicare plan availability is set at the county level. So while we say "Medicare in Goose Creek," the plans you can choose from are the ones offered in Berkeley County. That number — 67 Medicare Advantage plans for 2026 — comes from CMS. The 2027 count is in each plan's ANOC and on Medicare.gov's Plan Finder.

A few other county-level figures worth knowing:

• 11 carriers are offering Medicare Advantage plans with drug coverage (MA-PD) in the area.
• 0 stand-alone Part D drug plans appear in the current Berkeley County landscape file. (Note: Part D availability can vary by ZIP code, so always confirm on Medicare.gov using your address.)
• Roughly 36,615 residents age 65 and older live in Berkeley County, based on Census estimates.

None of these numbers tell you which plan is right for you. They just show the size of the field.

Start by picking your lane: Original Medicare or Medicare Advantage

Before you compare any plans, decide which side of Medicare you want to be on.

• Original Medicare (Parts A and B) is the federal program. You can add a stand-alone Part D drug plan and, if you want, a Medigap (Medicare Supplement) policy to help with out-of-pocket costs.
• Medicare Advantage (Part C) is offered by private insurers approved by Medicare. These plans bundle Part A, Part B, and usually Part D into one plan, often with network rules.

Once you know which lane you're in, the 67-plan number gets much smaller — because you're only comparing the plans that fit your approach.

Narrow the field with a few honest questions

You don't need to review every plan in Berkeley County. Instead, ask yourself:

1. Which doctors and hospitals do I want to keep? Check whether your providers are in a plan's network. 2. What prescriptions do I take? Each drug plan has its own formulary (covered drug list). This is often the biggest cost driver. 3. Do I travel or split time out of state? That may affect whether a network-based plan works for you. 4. How do I feel about trade-offs? Lower monthly premiums often mean higher costs when you use care, and vice versa.

Answer those, and 67 options usually shrinks to a handful worth a closer look.

Program-level facts to keep in mind for 2027

These apply nationwide, not to any specific plan:

• Part D out-of-pocket cap: $2,100 in 2026 and $2,400 in 2027. Once your out-of-pocket spending on covered drugs hits that amount, you pay nothing for covered drugs the rest of the year.
• Part D maximum deductible: $615 in 2026 and $700 in 2027 (plans may set a lower deductible).
• The "donut hole" is gone. As of 2025, Part D 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 beneficiaries pay an income-related surcharge. For 2026, it kicks in above $109,000 in income for single filers (based on your 2024 tax return).

Know the deadlines

• Annual Enrollment Period (AEP): October 15 – December 7, 2026. This is when most people compare and switch plans for 2027 coverage.
• Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment: January 1 – March 31. If you're already in a Medicare Advantage plan, you get one chance during this window to switch to another MA plan or drop back to Original Medicare.

Missing these windows can lock you into a plan for the year, so mark your calendar.

About Star Ratings

CMS rates Medicare Advantage and Part D contracts on a 1-to-5 scale, updated each fall. In the Berkeley County landscape data for 2026, no local contracts show a rating of 4 stars or higher; the 2027 ratings are on Medicare.gov's Plan Finder. Star Ratings are one data point — they measure things like customer service, complaints, and care quality across a contract, not your personal experience. Use them as context, not as a single deciding factor.