Medicare Part D

Grand Island Medicare 2027: Hall County Options

GRAND ISLAND, Neb. — If you're sorting through Medicare choices for 2027, here's a clear snapshot of what's available in your area, along with the program-wide rules that will shape your costs next year.

Grand Island is in Hall County, where 33 Medicare Advantage plans were offered for 2026, according to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Landscape files; the 2027 lineup is in each plan's ANOC and on Medicare.gov's Plan Finder. About 9,789 residents age 65 and older live in the county, so those choices matter to a lot of families.

What's on the shelf in Hall County

Here's what the 2026 CMS data shows for the county that includes Grand Island:

• 33 Medicare Advantage plans available
• 7 carriers offering Medicare Advantage with prescription drug coverage (MA-PD)
• 11 stand-alone Part D drug plans offered statewide in Nebraska for 2026, available to Hall County residents with Original Medicare
• 3 contracts rated 4 stars or higher under CMS's 2026 Star Ratings

These are counts, not recommendations. Availability, networks, and plan details can vary block by block, so the best way to see what applies to your exact ZIP code and doctors is the official Plan Finder at medicare.gov.

A quick word on Star Ratings

CMS gives Medicare Advantage and Part D contracts a Star Rating from 1 to 5 based on things like customer service, member complaints, and how well the plan manages chronic conditions. Ratings can shift each year as CMS updates its measures. They're a useful reference point — not the only thing to weigh — when you compare options with a licensed agent or SHIP counselor.

The 2027 Part D rules everyone should know

Even if you stay in the same plan, the drug benefit itself is changing under federal law:

• Out-of-pocket cap on covered Part D drugs: $2,100 in 2026 and $2,400 in 2027. Once you hit it, you pay nothing more for the rest of the calendar year on covered medications.
• Maximum Part D deductible: $615 in 2026 and $700 in 2027 (plans can charge less).
• No more "donut hole." As of 2025, Part D has three phases — deductible, initial coverage, and catastrophic — instead of four.
• Medicare Prescription Payment Plan. This optional program lets you spread your drug costs across the calendar year in monthly installments instead of paying a big bill at the pharmacy counter. It's free to opt in.
• IRMAA (the income-related surcharge on Part B and Part D premiums) starts above $109,000 in income for a single filer in 2026, based on your 2024 tax return.

The dates to circle

• Annual Enrollment Period: Oct. 15 – Dec. 7, 2026. This is when anyone with Medicare can join, switch, or drop a Medicare Advantage or Part D plan for 2027.
• Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment: Jan. 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 move back to Original Medicare (with a Part D plan if you need one).

Missing these windows usually means waiting a full year, so mark the calendar.

How to compare without getting overwhelmed

With 33 Medicare Advantage plans in the county, a little organization goes a long way:

1. List your doctors, hospitals, and pharmacies. Network fit is often the biggest factor. 2. Write down your prescriptions, including doses. Plan Finder will show how each plan covers them. 3. Think about how you use care. Do you travel? See a lot of specialists? Prefer predictable copays? 4. Ask for help. Nebraska SHIIP (the state's SHIP program) offers free, unbiased counseling from trained volunteers.