Medicare Part D
Free Medicare Guidance in Bismarck From SHIP and Agents
BISMARCK, N.D. — If you live in Bismarck and feel buried under Medicare mail this fall, you are not alone. Between TV ads, glossy brochures, and phone calls, it can be hard to tell who is trying to sell you something and who is simply there to help. The good news: North Dakota has free, unbiased resources for Medicare beneficiaries, and Bismarck has a solid list of licensed agents too. Here is how to sort through it.
Compare Medicare options near you
Answer 3 quick questions to see Medicare Advantage, Medigap, and Part D listings from licensed insurance partners.
What’s your ZIP code?
Plan availability is set by your county, so we start here.
How old are you?
This helps match you with options you’re eligible for.
Do you have Medicare Parts A & B?
Most Medicare Advantage and Medigap options require both.
These listings are provided by licensed insurance partners.
Will your prescriptions still be covered in 2027?
Part D plans rewrite their drug lists every year — tiers move, pharmacies change, drugs drop off. One call checks your exact medications against the 2027 plans in your area.
- Every prescription checked, name by name
- Your pharmacy checked for preferred pricing
Available now — current wait: 0 min
A real person answers. No phone menu, ever.
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Continue →Advertising disclosure: MyMedicarePlans.org may be compensated when you contact a partner or licensed agent. Listings are not ranked or endorsed by us, and we do not recommend specific plans. You can also contact Medicare.gov, 1-800-MEDICARE, or your local SHIP.
Speak to a Licensed Insurance Agent
Click to call 855-729-3240Key takeaways
- Bismarck's Burleigh County offered 20 Medicare Advantage plans from 5 carriers for 2026, and North Dakota has 11 stand-alone Part D plans for 2026, sold statewide, that residents with Original Medicare can join. The 2027 lineup is in each plan's ANOC and on Medicare.gov's Plan Finder. The 2027 lineup is in each plan's ANOC and on Medicare.gov's Plan Finder.
- SHIIC, North Dakota's free SHIP program, offers unbiased counseling from staff and volunteers who don't sell insurance or earn commissions, but they can't enroll you in a plan.
- You can reach SHIIC by calling 1-888-575-6611 or visiting insurance.nd.gov, and for official plan details you can use medicare.gov/plan-compare, which shows the same data licensed agents see.
- In the Bismarck area, 0 Medicare Advantage contracts currently have a Star Rating of 4 or higher, though Star Ratings are just one data point and don't reflect whether a plan covers your specific doctors or medications.
Start with SHIIC — North Dakota's SHIP
Every state has a State Health Insurance Assistance Program, or SHIP. In North Dakota, it is called SHIIC — the State Health Insurance Counseling Program, run through the North Dakota Insurance Department.
SHIIC counselors are trained volunteers and staff who do not sell insurance and do not earn commissions. They can help you:
- Compare Medicare Advantage, Medigap, and Part D options side by side.
- Understand what Original Medicare covers versus what it does not.
- Screen you for programs like Extra Help and the Medicare Savings Program.
- Sort out billing questions or appeals.
You can reach SHIIC by calling the North Dakota Insurance Department at 1-888-575-6611 or visiting insurance.nd.gov and searching "SHIIC." They can point you to a counselor near Bismarck or set up a phone appointment.
What Bismarck's Medicare landscape looks like
Bismarck sits in Burleigh County, where 20 Medicare Advantage plans were available for 2026, offered by 5 carriers. North Dakota has 11 stand-alone Part D plans for 2026, sold statewide, according to CMS's Part D Landscape files — so anyone in the area with Original Medicare can join one of them, and drug coverage can also come bundled inside a Medicare Advantage plan (MA-PD). The 2027 lineup is in each plan's ANOC and on Medicare.gov's Plan Finder.
Burleigh County is home to roughly 18,028 people age 65 and older, so you are far from the only person trying to make sense of all this.
For plan-by-plan details — premiums, drug lists, provider networks — the official tool is medicare.gov/plan-compare. It pulls directly from CMS and shows the same information any licensed agent sees.
When a licensed agent makes sense
SHIP counselors are wonderful for education and neutral comparisons. But they cannot enroll you in a plan. That is where a licensed insurance agent or broker comes in.
A few things to know:
- Agents are paid by the insurance companies whose plans they sell. That is not necessarily bad, but it is worth knowing.
- Some agents are "captive," meaning they only sell one carrier's plans. Others are independent and represent several.
- Ask any agent to confirm they are licensed in North Dakota and appointed with multiple carriers if you want to see more options.
A reasonable approach: use SHIIC to learn the ground rules and narrow your priorities, then work with a licensed agent to actually enroll.
Key numbers to keep in mind
Whether you talk to a counselor or an agent, these program-wide figures apply to everyone on Medicare:
- Part D out-of-pocket cap: $2,100 in 2026 and $2,400 in 2027. Once your out-of-pocket drug spending hits that amount, you pay nothing for covered drugs the rest of the year.
- Part D deductible: up to $615 maximum in 2026 and up to $700 in 2027 (individual plans may set it lower).
- The coverage gap ("donut hole") is gone as of 2025. Part D now has three phases instead of four.
- Medicare Prescription Payment Plan: an optional program that lets you spread drug costs into monthly payments instead of paying at the pharmacy counter.
- IRMAA: higher-income Medicare beneficiaries pay Part B and Part D surcharges. In 2026, IRMAA begins above $109,000 in income for a single filer.
Star Ratings, briefly
Medicare uses a 1-to-5 Star Rating system to measure plan quality on things like customer service and preventive care. Under CMS's 2026 Star Ratings, 7 Medicare Advantage contracts offer plans in Burleigh County, 6 of them have a 2026 Star Rating, and 3 of those are rated 4 stars or higher. Star Ratings are one data point — they do not tell you whether a plan covers your doctor, your hospital, or your prescriptions. Use them as background, not as a shortcut.
Enrollment windows you should not miss
- Annual Enrollment Period (AEP): 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 are already in a Medicare Advantage plan, you get one chance to switch to another MA plan or return to Original Medicare.
- Initial Enrollment Period: the seven-month window around your 65th birthday.
- Special Enrollment Periods: triggered by life events like moving or losing employer coverage.
By the numbers
Medicare Part B premium, 2006–2026
The standard monthly Part B premium has climbed from $88.50 in 2006 to $202.90 in 2026. Hover any point for that year’s premium.
Source: CMS. Standard premium shown; in some hold-harmless years many existing enrollees paid less. Confirm at Medicare.gov.
By the numbers
How people get Medicare in Burleigh County
(MA penetration in Burleigh County)
MA penetration from CMS enrollment data; Medigap share is an estimate. U.S. average is about 54% Medicare Advantage. These are area-level figures, not plan-specific.
Try it
How the 2026 Part D drug cap works
Slide to your estimated yearly prescription costs and see how the new $2,100 out-of-pocket cap protects you. This illustrates the standard Part D benefit; your plan may structure costs differently.
Once your out-of-pocket spending on covered drugs reaches $2,100, you pay nothing more for the rest of 2026. Confirm details at Medicare.gov.
Explore
When can you enroll? An interactive year
Enrollment windows are federal and the same nationwide. Confirm your personal dates at Medicare.gov or 1-800-MEDICARE.
Good to know
Frequently asked questions
Q: Does SHIIC really cost nothing?
Q: I keep getting calls from people saying they are "from Medicare." Are they?
Q: How do I get Part D drug coverage in Burleigh County?
- CMS — Medicare Part D program rules (medicare.gov)
For personalized answers, contact Medicare.gov, 1-800-MEDICARE, or your local SHIP.