Medicare Advantage

San Marcos 2027 Medicare: Nearby County Options

Medicare plan availability across the San Marcos area for 2027 — county-by-county counts and how to compare.

SAN MARCOS, Texas — If you're shopping for 2027 Medicare coverage in San Marcos, it helps to know that plan choices don't stop at the city limits. Medicare Advantage and Part D availability are set at the county level, and San Marcos sits at a crossroads where several Central Texas counties meet. That means neighbors just a short drive apart can see different plan menus when they open Medicare.gov.

This article is a snapshot of how plan availability looked across the broader San Marcos metro for 2026 — county by county, in counts only. For 2027, check each plan's ANOC and Medicare.gov's Plan Finder. We won't name plans or prices; that's what Medicare's official Plan Finder is for.

Why your county matters more than your ZIP code

Medicare Advantage and stand-alone Part D drug plans are approved to serve specific counties. Two people who both say they live "near San Marcos" can end up with different plan lists if one is in Hays County and the other is across the line in Caldwell, Guadalupe, Comal, or Travis County.

That's why, when you use Medicare's Plan Finder, it asks for your ZIP code first — it uses that to figure out your county, and the county determines your menu.

What the numbers look like in Hays County

San Marcos is in Hays County. For 2026, Hays County shows:

• 64 Medicare Advantage plans available to residents.
• 8 carriers offering Medicare Advantage plans that include drug coverage (MA-PD).
• A population of about 32,662 residents age 65 and older, according to census estimates.

These are area-level counts — a picture of the shelf, not a recommendation about any product on it.

Nearby counties in the San Marcos metro

San Marcos anchors the southern edge of the Austin–Round Rock–San Marcos metro and touches the northern edge of the San Antonio metro. If you live, work, or see doctors across county lines, it's worth checking availability where you actually receive care:

• Travis County (Austin) to the north
• Comal County (New Braunfels) to the south
• Guadalupe County (Seguin) to the southeast
• Caldwell County (Lockhart) to the east
• Blanco County to the west

Each county has its own approved list of Medicare Advantage and Part D plans, and the 2027 lineup is in each plan's ANOC and on Medicare.gov's Plan Finder. If you split time between homes or use providers in more than one county, ask a licensed agent or your local SHIP counselor how that affects your options.

What about stand-alone Part D?

The area data for Hays County shows 0 stand-alone Part D plans in the local count we're working from. In practice, most people who want drug coverage in a Medicare Advantage plan get it through an MA-PD (Medicare Advantage with prescription drugs). If you have Original Medicare and want a separate drug plan, use Plan Finder at medicare.gov to see current-year Part D options at your address, since availability and counts can shift year to year.

Program facts worth knowing

No matter which county you live in, some Medicare rules apply everywhere:

• The Part D out-of-pocket cap is $2,100 in 2026 and $2,400 in 2027. Once your drug spending reaches that amount, you pay nothing for covered drugs for the rest of the year.
• The Part D deductible can be up to $615 in 2026.
• The old 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 drug costs across the year in monthly installments instead of paying at the pharmacy counter.
• IRMAA (higher-income premium surcharges) begins above $109,000 in income for single filers in 2026.
• Annual Enrollment Period: Oct. 15 – Dec. 7. Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment: Jan. 1 – March 31.

About Star Ratings

CMS rates Medicare Advantage and Part D contracts on a 1-to-5 star scale to measure things like customer service, member experience, and how well plans manage chronic conditions. In the local data we're working from, no contracts serving this area were rated 4 stars or higher for the current cycle. Star Ratings are one signal among many — they don't tell you whether a specific plan fits your doctors, drugs, or budget. Use them as context, not as a shortcut.

How to compare plans the right way

1. Go to medicare.gov/plan-compare and enter your ZIP code. 2. Add your prescriptions and preferred pharmacies. 3. Check that your doctors and hospitals are in-network. 4. Look at total estimated yearly cost, not just the monthly premium. 5. If you want free one-on-one help, contact Texas SHIP (the Health Information, Counseling & Advocacy Program) at 1-800-252-9240, or call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227), available 24/7.