Medicare Advantage

Medicare in Murray: 37 Plans in Salt Lake County

Salt Lake County has 46 Medicare Advantage plans for 2027. Compared with 2026, 6 plans are not coming back, 4 are new, and 22 continuing plans changed in some way you should check before December 7, 9 of them under a new name. This guide covers what those numbers mean for Murray, not which plan to pick.

MURRAY, Utah — If you're turning 65 in Murray, or you already have Medicare and want to review your coverage, you have a lot of choices to sort through for 2027. Salt Lake County residents can pick from 37 Medicare Advantage plans for 2027, according to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) plan landscape data.

That's a healthy menu — but it can also feel like a lot. Here's what those numbers mean, and how to think through your decision without getting overwhelmed.

What the plan counts actually mean

The 37 figure is the number of Medicare Advantage plans available for 2027 to people who live in Salt Lake County, which includes Murray. Medicare plan availability is set at the county level, so the same plan lineup applies whether you live in Murray, West Jordan, or Sandy.

A few more numbers from the county-level data worth knowing:

• 37 Medicare Advantage plans available in Salt Lake County for 2027
• 8 carriers offering Medicare Advantage with prescription drug coverage (MA-PD) for 2027
• 10 stand-alone Part D drug plans — Utah has 10 stand-alone Part D plans for 2026, sold statewide, so anyone in Salt Lake County with Original Medicare can join one of them (you can also compare MA-PD options or verify Part D availability directly on Medicare.gov)
• 142,165 residents age 65 and older in the county

Eight carriers offering MA-PD means you're comparing among a manageable set of insurance companies — even if the total plan count looks big, many of those 37 are variations from the same handful of carriers.

Why the count matters (and why it doesn't tell the whole story)

More plans don't automatically mean better coverage — they mean more homework. Two plans from the same carrier can have different networks, different drug lists, and different rules. That's why CMS encourages people to look past the plan count and focus on:

1. Whether your doctors and hospitals are in the plan's network. 2. Whether your prescriptions are on the plan's formulary. 3. What the total yearly cost looks like — not just the monthly premium.

The plan count tells you how much choice you have. It doesn't tell you which plan fits your life.

2027 Medicare facts that apply to everyone

No matter which plan you land on, some rules are set by law and apply across the board in 2027:

• Part D out-of-pocket cap: $2,100 in 2026 and $2,400 in 2027. Once your covered drug costs hit that limit, you pay nothing for covered drugs the rest of the year.
• Part D maximum deductible: $615 in 2026 and $700 in 2027. Plans can charge less, but not more.
• The "donut hole" is gone. As of 2025, Part D has three phases instead of four — no more coverage gap.
• Medicare Prescription Payment Plan. This is an optional program that lets you spread your drug costs across the year in monthly payments instead of paying a big bill at the pharmacy counter.
• IRMAA surcharges (higher Part B and Part D premiums for higher incomes) start above $109,000 for a single filer in 2026.

How to narrow 37 plans down to one

Here's a simple order of operations Murray residents can follow:

Start with your doctors. Make a short list of the providers you want to keep. Then check each plan's network. If your primary care doctor at Intermountain, U of U Health, or another local system isn't in-network, that plan drops off your list fast.

Add your prescriptions. Type your medications into the Medicare.gov Plan Finder. It will show you which of the county's plans cover your drugs and at what tier.

Look at total yearly cost. Premium plus expected drug costs plus expected medical copays. The lowest-premium plan isn't always the lowest-cost plan overall.

Check the Star Ratings. CMS publishes quality ratings from 1 to 5 stars for each contract. They're one input — not the whole story — but they can help you compare plans on customer service, care coordination, and member complaints.

Key dates to circle

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

Miss those windows and you generally have to wait — unless you qualify for a Special Enrollment Period (moving, losing other coverage, and a few other life events).