Medicare Advantage

Medicare in Myrtle Beach, SC: 2027 Plan Options

Medicare in Myrtle Beach: how many Horry County plan options were listed for 2026, plus how to check the 2027 lineup.

MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. — If you are turning 65 soon or already have Medicare, you have a lot of choices to sort through this fall. Myrtle Beach is in Horry County, where 62 Medicare Advantage plans were offered for 2026, according to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) plan landscape data. The 2027 plan lineup is detailed in each plan's ANOC and on Medicare.gov's Plan Finder.

That is a big menu. The good news is you do not have to pick fast, and you do not have to pick alone. This guide walks through how many options were on the table locally for 2026, what the program rules look like for 2027, and how to narrow the list without getting overwhelmed.

How many Medicare options are in the Myrtle Beach area?

Medicare plan availability is set at the county level, so the numbers below apply to all of Horry County, not just the city of Myrtle Beach:

• 62 Medicare Advantage plans are available for 2026.
• 11 carriers are offering Medicare Advantage plans that include prescription drug coverage (MA-PD).
• 0 stand-alone Part D plans are listed at the county level in this landscape snapshot. If you stay on Original Medicare and want drug coverage, you will typically shop Part D plans available in South Carolina through Medicare's Plan Finder.

With more than 100,000 residents age 65 and older in Horry County, it makes sense that carriers compete here. But more choices also means more homework.

What the 62 number actually means

That 62 is a count of distinct Medicare Advantage plan options — different plan designs from different insurance companies. It is not a ranking, and it does not mean any one plan is right for you. Two plans from the same carrier can work very differently.

Also worth knowing: none of the Medicare contracts in this area currently carry an overall Star Rating of 4 or higher in the latest CMS data. Star Ratings are a quality measure CMS publishes each year based on things like customer service, member complaints, and preventive care. They are one signal among many — not a substitute for checking whether a plan covers your doctors and medications.

How to decide when the list feels long

Here is a simple way to shrink 62 options down to a short list you can actually compare:

1. Start with your doctors and hospitals. If keeping your current providers matters, check each plan's network before anything else. 2. List your prescriptions. Type them into medicare.gov's Plan Finder. The tool will show you how each plan handles your specific drugs. 3. Think about how you travel. Some plans work best close to home; others travel better. Snowbirds and frequent visitors to family out of state should ask about this directly. 4. Consider Original Medicare + Medigap + Part D as one path, and Medicare Advantage as another. They are structured differently, and one is not automatically better than the other. 5. Look at the total picture, not just the premium. Deductibles, out-of-pocket maximums, and whether your prescriptions are covered often matter more than the monthly bill.

2027 program rules that apply everywhere

These figures come from CMS and apply nationally, no matter which plan or ZIP code you land in:

• Part D out-of-pocket cap: $2,100 in 2026 and $2,400 in 2027. Once your covered drug spending reaches that amount 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. Plans can charge less, but not more.
• The coverage gap ("donut hole") is gone. Since 2025, Part D has three phases instead of four.
• Medicare Prescription Payment Plan. This is an optional program that lets you spread your drug costs across the calendar year in monthly payments instead of paying big amounts at the pharmacy counter.
• IRMAA surcharges for higher-income enrollees begin above $109,000 in income for a single filer in 2026.

Key dates to circle

• October 15 – December 7: Medicare Annual Enrollment Period. You can join, switch, or drop a Medicare Advantage or Part D plan. Changes take effect January 1.
• January 1 – March 31: Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period. If you are already in a Medicare Advantage plan, you get one chance to switch to another MA plan or return to Original Medicare (and add a Part D plan).
• Your Initial Enrollment Period is the 7-month window around your 65th birthday. Missing it can lead to lifetime late-enrollment penalties on Part B and Part D.

Where to get unbiased help in Myrtle Beach

You do not have to figure out 62 plans by yourself.

• Medicare.gov Plan Finder lets you type in your drugs and preferred pharmacy and compare plans side by side.
• 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227) is open 24/7.
• South Carolina SHIP (State Health Insurance Assistance Program) offers free, one-on-one Medicare counseling from trained volunteers who do not sell insurance. They can meet with Horry County residents by phone or in person.