Medicare Part D

Medicare Questions in Cheyenne? Free 2027 Help

CHEYENNE, Wyo. — If Medicare feels like a maze, you are not alone. With more than 17,500 people age 65 and older living in Laramie County, questions about coverage, drug costs, and enrollment deadlines come up every day around Cheyenne. The good news: you can get straight answers locally, at no cost.

Cheyenne Has Free, Unbiased Medicare Help — Here's Where to Start

This guide walks through where to turn for help, what's new for 2027, and how to avoid common mix-ups.

Start With Wyoming SHIIP — Your Local, Unbiased Option

Every state has a State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP). In Wyoming, it's called SHIIP — the Wyoming State Health Insurance Information Program, run through the Wyoming Department of Health.

SHIIP counselors are trained volunteers and staff who do not sell insurance and do not work on commission. They can help you:

• Understand the differences between Original Medicare, Medigap, Medicare Advantage, and Part D.
• Compare drug plan options on Medicare.gov's Plan Finder.
• Apply for programs that help with premiums or drug costs (like Extra Help or the Medicare Savings Programs).
• Review a denial or appeal.

You can reach Wyoming SHIIP at 1-800-856-4398. Appointments are often available in Cheyenne through local senior centers and county aging offices.

Licensed Agents Are Another Option — Know the Difference

Licensed insurance agents and agencies can also help Cheyenne residents pick a plan, and many are knowledgeable and helpful. The key difference: agents are paid by insurance companies when you enroll, and most only represent the carriers they're contracted with.

That's not automatically bad — it just means it helps to:

• Ask which carriers the agent represents.
• Ask if they can show you all the plans available in Laramie County, or only some.
• Confirm they're licensed in Wyoming.

Using SHIIP and an agent is a perfectly reasonable combo. SHIIP gives you the neutral lay of the land; an agent can walk you through paperwork once you've decided.

What's Available Around Cheyenne

Cheyenne is in Laramie County, where 12 Medicare Advantage plans are offered in 2026, from 3 carriers with MA-PD (Medicare Advantage with prescription drug coverage) options. The 2027 lineup is detailed in each plan's Annual Notice of Change and on Medicare.gov's Plan Finder. Stand-alone Part D drug plans are offered on a statewide basis in Wyoming rather than at the county level, so counselors and the Plan Finder tool will help you sort through those separately.

Availability and specific plan features change every year, which is why the fall review window matters so much.

Key 2027 Numbers to Know

A few program-wide facts are worth writing down before you sit down with a counselor:

• $2,400 — the out-of-pocket cap on Part D covered drugs in 2027 (it is $2,100 for 2026). Once you hit it, you pay nothing for covered prescriptions the rest of the year.
• $615 — the maximum Part D deductible allowed in 2026 (plans can set theirs lower).
• The "donut hole" is gone. As of 2025, Part D has three phases instead of four.
• Medicare Prescription Payment Plan — an optional program that lets you spread your drug costs into monthly payments instead of paying big amounts at the pharmacy counter.
• IRMAA — higher-income surcharges on Part B and Part D start above $109,000 in income for a single filer in 2026.

Mark These Dates

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

Missing these windows usually means waiting a full year, so if you're on the fence, it's smart to at least review your options each fall.

A Word About Star Ratings

You'll see "Star Ratings" (1 to 5 stars) attached to Medicare Advantage and Part D contracts on Medicare.gov. They're a CMS quality measure covering things like customer service, member complaints, and drug safety. Under CMS's 2026 Star Ratings, 2 of the Medicare Advantage contracts offering plans in Laramie County are rated 4 stars or higher, but ratings are only one factor — your doctors, your prescriptions, and your budget usually matter more. A SHIIP counselor can help you weigh the whole picture.