Medicare Advantage

Fairfax VA Medicare: 2027 plan choices

Fairfax Medicare Advantage: how many plans are offered — plain-language Medicare information for Fairfax, Virginia.

FAIRFAX, Va. — If you're turning 65 near Fairfax, or rethinking your coverage for 2027, it helps to see the lay of the land before you start comparing details. Medicare choices are set county by county, so where you live shapes what's on your menu. Here's a plain look at what's available around Fairfax and the nearby parts of the metro, using the latest counts from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).

What "plan availability" actually means

Medicare Advantage and Part D availability is decided at the county level, not the city level. So when we say Fairfax has certain options, we really mean Fairfax is in Fairfax City (an independent city under Virginia's system), and the plans filed there are what a Fairfax resident can pick from. A neighbor a few miles away in Fairfax County, Arlington, or Alexandria may see a different set of plans on Medicare's Plan Finder, even if the mailing address feels close.

That's why two friends comparing notes over coffee can end up with very different lists. It's not a mistake — it's how the program is organized.

The Fairfax snapshot

For 2026, here's what CMS's Landscape files show for the area:

• 56 Medicare Advantage plans are available in Fairfax City.
• 8 carriers offer Medicare Advantage with prescription drug coverage (MA-PD) locally.
• 0 stand-alone Part D plans are listed in the Fairfax City file — but stand-alone Part D plans are sold on a region-wide basis, so residents still have Part D options through the wider Virginia market. Check Plan Finder for the current list.
• About 3,518 people age 65 and older live in the area.

Star Ratings, the 1-to-5 scale CMS uses to score contract quality, are another piece of the picture. In the Fairfax City file, no contracts are currently listed at 4 stars or higher. Ratings can shift year to year and are just one input — not a recommendation.

How the nearby metro compares

Because Northern Virginia is packed with independent cities and counties sitting right next to each other, the number of plans on offer can shift noticeably from one ZIP code to the next. Someone in Fairfax County proper, Arlington County, Alexandria, Falls Church, or Loudoun County may see a different plan count and a different mix of carriers than someone inside Fairfax City limits.

If you're helping a parent or moving across the metro, don't assume the plans they had before are still on their new list. Re-check availability using their new address.

Program changes to know for 2027

A few Medicare rules apply everywhere, no matter which county you're in:

• Part D out-of-pocket cap: Once your covered drug spending hits $2,400 in 2027, you pay nothing more for covered prescriptions the rest of the year. In 2026 the cap is $2,100.
• Part D deductible: Plans can charge up to $615 in 2026 ($700 in 2027) before drug coverage kicks in. Some charge less.
• No more donut hole: The old coverage gap was eliminated in 2025. Part D now has three phases instead of four.
• Medicare Prescription Payment Plan: You can ask to spread your yearly drug costs into monthly bills instead of paying all at once at the pharmacy.
• IRMAA: Higher-income beneficiaries pay extra for Parts B and D. For a single filer in 2026, the surcharge starts above $109,000 in income.

When you can make changes

Two windows matter most:

• Annual Enrollment Period (AEP): October 15 – December 7. You can join, switch, or drop a Medicare Advantage or Part D plan. Changes take effect January 1.
• Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment: January 1 – March 31. If you're already in a Medicare Advantage plan, you can switch to another MA plan or return to Original Medicare (and add a Part D plan).

Special Enrollment Periods can also open up if you move, lose other coverage, or qualify for Extra Help.

Where to get help you can trust

• Medicare.gov Plan Finder lets you enter your ZIP code and current prescriptions to see what's available.
• 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227) is staffed 24/7.
• Virginia Insurance Counseling and Assistance Program (VICAP) is Virginia's SHIP — free, unbiased, one-on-one counseling. You can find your local counselor through the state Department for Aging and Rehabilitative Services.