Apache Junction, Pinal County, Arizona

Apache Junction, AZ Medicare Help for 2027

A third of Apache Junction residents are 65 or older, and the city crosses a county line. Both facts shape the Medicare choice here.

Plan data: CMS 2027 Landscape, retrieved 2026-10-13. Page reviewed 2026-10-13.

  • 47 Medicare Advantage plans in Pinal County, 2027
  • 45 With a $0 Part C premium
  • 10 Organizations offering plans
  • 24 Special Needs Plans, counted separately

In clients' words

What working with Viola looks like

★★★★★

I’m very happy I went to Viola at Rise up Benefits Group for my Medicare enrollment. I was inundated with mail and way too much information. I have been with Champ VA for 9 years so it gets confusing what to sign up for without losing those benefits as they become secondary. Viola explained everything and picked out the best option for me. I highly recommend her as it made this transition very smooth.

Mark Jordan, Aug 27, 2026

Verbatim client reviews from the agency's public profiles (5.0 stars from 49 Google reviews). Read all reviews.

Apache Junction Medicare at a glance for 2027

  • 47 Medicare Advantage plans for Apache Junction residents (Pinal County), 45 with a $0 Part C premium
  • In-network out-of-pocket maximums from $2,000 to $8,900 a year
  • 10 insurance companies offer them
  • 9 standalone Part D plans in Arizona
  • You still pay the Part B premium, $202.90 a month in 2026 (the 2027 amount is announced by CMS around November)
  • Annual Enrollment: October 15 to December 7, 2026, for coverage that starts January 1, 2027

Examples of $0 premium plans with drug coverage, by 2026 star rating and out-of-pocket limit

  • SCAN Classic (HMO)SCAN Health Plan · 4.5★ (2026) · out-of-pocket max $2,000 · drug deductible $0
  • SCAN MyChoice (HMO)SCAN Health Plan · 4.5★ (2026) · out-of-pocket max $2,500 · drug deductible $0
  • AARP Medicare Advantage Essentials from UHC AZ-2 (HMO-POS)UnitedHealthcare · 4.5★ (2026) · out-of-pocket max $3,500 · drug deductible $685

CMS Medicare Advantage and Part D Landscape, contract year 2027. A plan's fit depends on your doctors and prescriptions; Viola checks both before you choose. We do not offer every plan available in your area. Any information we provide is limited to those plans we do offer in your area. Please contact Medicare.gov, 1-800-MEDICARE, or your local State Health Insurance Program (SHIP) to get information on all of your options.

The community

Apache Junction at a glance

The Census Bureau counts about 41,000 Apache Junction residents, and 34.0% of them, about 14,000 people, are 65 or older. The median age is 53.1 and median household income is about $61,000.

Most of Apache Junction is in Pinal County, and this page shows the Pinal County plan list; the part of the city in Maricopa County uses that county’s list. For people who qualify for both Medicare and AHCCCS (Arizona Medicaid), Dual Special Needs Plans are listed below. Banner Goldfield Medical Center on West Southern Avenue, rated 5 out of 5 by CMS, is the Apache Junction hospital in the CMS file.

How Viola helps here. Apache Junction clients work with Viola by phone or video, or at the Chandler office. She also helps you check whether you may qualify for Extra Help with drug costs before you choose a plan.

Viola Lucero comparing plan papers with a couple on their sofa
Apache Junction compared with Pinal County and Arizona, U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020 to 2024 5-year estimates
Measure Apache Junction Pinal County Arizona
Population 41,058 469,006 7,378,838
Residents aged 65 and over 13,972 101,036 1,397,551
Share aged 65 and over 34.0% 21.5% 18.9%
Median age 53.1 40.4 Not shown
Median household income $60,975 $80,266 Not shown
Share with no health insurance (all ages) 9.1% 10.9% 10.5%

Arizona totals are the sum of all 15 Arizona counties in the same Census release; a statewide median is not computed here.

Health profile

What is common in Apache Junction

Plan choice follows the conditions you actually live with, because they decide which specialists and drugs you need covered.

Chronic condition estimates, adults 18 and over: Apache Junction, Pinal County and Arizona (CDC PLACES, 2023 estimates)
Measure Apache Junction Pinal County Arizona county average
Diagnosed diabetes 15.1% 12.9% 11.3%
High blood pressure 42.5% 36.2% 32.8%
Obesity 37.7% 38.4% 31.3%
Coronary heart disease 9.4% 6.9% 6.4%
COPD 10.5% 7.5% 6.6%
Adults 18 to 64 without health insurance 11.7% 13.7% 13.2%
Arthritis 35.9% 28.1% 25.2%
High cholesterol 45.5% 40.3% 37.3%
Stroke 5.0% 3.8% 3.4%

CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, Place Data, 2025 release (2023 survey estimates), retrieved 2026-10-13. Model-based small-area estimates of crude prevalence among adults 18 and over, not a count of local diagnoses. Crude rates follow the age mix of a place: an older community reads higher on most conditions. Arizona figure: average of the 15 Arizona counties, weighted by adult population.

Why this matters for plan choice

Apache Junction runs above the Arizona average on high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diagnosed diabetes, coronary heart disease, stroke. The chronic-condition Special Needs Plans on the Pinal County list are built around: Cardiovascular Disorders; Chronic Heart Failure; Chronic Kidney Disease; Diabetes Mellitus. If you live with one of those, a C-SNP may be worth a look; you need a qualifying diagnosis to join.

Special needs

24 Special Needs Plans in Pinal County

An SNP is a Medicare Advantage plan limited to people who meet a condition. They are left out of the counts above because not everyone can join.

D-SNP: 10 plans

For people with both Medicare and AHCCCS (Arizona Medicaid).

C-SNP: 14 plans

For people with qualifying chronic conditions: Cardiovascular Disorders; Chronic Heart Failure; Chronic Kidney Disease; Diabetes Mellitus.

Spotlight for Apache Junction

Dual Special Needs Plans (D-SNPs)

For people who have both Medicare and Medicaid. In Arizona, Medicaid is AHCCCS, and AHCCCS decides that eligibility. From the Pinal County list, CMS contract year 2027.

Dual Special Needs Plans (D-SNPs), Pinal County, contract year 2027
PlanType2026 starsPart C + D premiumOut-of-pocket limitPart D deductiblePlan ID
Health Choice Pathway (HMO D-SNP)Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona Health Choice HMO D-SNP 3.5★ $0 $9,850 $300 H5587_002
UHC Dual Complete AZ-S001 (HMO-POS D-SNP)UnitedHealthcare HMO-POS D-SNP 3.5★ $0 $9,850 $700 H0321_002
UHC Dual Complete AZ-YL (HMO-POS D-SNP)UnitedHealthcare HMO-POS D-SNP 3.5★ $16.80 $9,850 $700 H0321_004
Banner Medicare Advantage Dual (HMO D-SNP)Banner Medicare Advantage HMO D-SNP 3.5★ $16.80 $9,850 $700 H4931_007
Banner Medicare Advantage Dual (HMO D-SNP)Banner Medicare Advantage HMO D-SNP 3.5★ $16.80 $9,850 $700 H4931_015
Mercy Care Advantage (HMO D-SNP)Mercy Care Advantage HMO D-SNP 3.0★ $16.10 $9,850 $700 H5580_005
Mercy Care Advantage (HMO D-SNP)Mercy Care Advantage HMO D-SNP 3.0★ $16.80 $9,850 $700 H5580_001
Mercy Care Advantage (HMO D-SNP)Mercy Care Advantage HMO D-SNP 3.0★ $16.80 $9,850 $700 H5580_004
Wellcare Arizona Complete Health Dual Liberty Sync (HMO D-SNP)Wellcare HMO D-SNP Not rated $0 $9,850 $700 H5590_012
Molina Medicare Complete Care (HMO D-SNP)Molina Healthcare of Arizona HMO D-SNP Not rated $16.80 $9,850 $700 H8845_001

See every Pinal County plan with premiums and limits, or compare plans for your ZIP code with the plan finder.

We do not offer every plan available in your area. Any information we provide is limited to those plans we do offer in your area. Please contact Medicare.gov, 1-800-MEDICARE, or your local State Health Insurance Program (SHIP) to get information on all of your options.

By the numbers

2027 Medicare Advantage in Pinal County

Medicare Advantage plans are approved by county, so Apache Junction residents see the Pinal County list. Figures from the CMS Landscape file for contract year 2027; Special Needs Plans are counted separately.

  • $2.10 Average monthly Part C premium
  • $8.43 Average Part C + D premium
  • 41 Plans that include drug coverage
  • $2,000 Lowest in-network out-of-pocket limit
  • $4,980 Average in-network out-of-pocket limit
  • $8,900 Highest in-network out-of-pocket limit
  • $513.34 Average Part D deductible (plans with drugs)
  • 13 Plans with a 2026 rating of 4★ or more
  • 3.72★ Average 2026 star rating (rated plans)

The "$0" and average premium figures use the Part C premium, the CMS convention for comparing plans. The Part C + D figure adds the drug premium. A $0 premium plan still has costs: you keep paying the Part B premium ($202.90 a month in 2026) plus copays up to the plan’s limit. Star ratings shown are 2026 ratings, because 2027 ratings are not loaded yet.

Pinal County Medicare Advantage plans by type, contract year 2027 (Special Needs Plans excluded)
Plan typePlans$0 Part C premiumAverage premiumAverage out-of-pocket limitWithout drug coverage
HMO 25 24 $0.80 $4,458 1
PPO 14 14 $0 $6,046 3
HMO-POS 6 6 $0 $4,133 1
Regional PPO 2 1 $39.45 $6,575 1

We do not offer every plan available in your area. Any information we provide is limited to those plans we do offer in your area. Please contact Medicare.gov, 1-800-MEDICARE, or your local State Health Insurance Program (SHIP) to get information on all of your options.

Hospitals

Hospitals in and near Apache Junction

Medicare-certified hospitals in Apache Junction, Mesa from the CMS Hospital General Information file, with the CMS overall star rating. A rating is not network status: check each hospital against a plan.

Hospitals from the CMS Hospital General Information file, retrieved 2026-10-13
HospitalAddressEmergency servicesCMS overall rating
Banner Goldfield Medical CenterAcute Care 2050 West Southern Avenue, Apache Junction, AZ 85120 Yes 5 of 5
Banner Desert Medical CenterAcute Care 1400 South Dobson Road, Mesa, AZ 85202 Yes 2 of 5
Banner Baywood Medical CenterAcute Care 6644 East Baywood Avenue, Mesa, AZ 85206 Yes 2 of 5
Banner Heart HospitalAcute Care 6750 East Baywood Avenue, Mesa, AZ 85206 No 2 of 5
Arizona Spine and Joint HospitalAcute Care 4620 East Baseline Road, Mesa, AZ 85206 No Not available
HonorHealth Four Peaks Medical CenterAcute Care 1301 South Crismon Road, Mesa, AZ 85209 Yes 2 of 5
Dignity Health Arizona General HospitalAcute Care 9130 East Elliot Road, Mesa, AZ 85212 Yes 5 of 5
What changes for 2027

Pinal County plans: 2026 to 2027

Your plan mailed an Annual Notice of Change by September 30, 2026. It lists what changes on January 1, 2027: premium, deductible, out-of-pocket limit, copays, drug list and network. Compare it line by line, or bring it to Viola.

Pinal County: Medicare Advantage plans with drug coverage, Special Needs Plans included (CMS Landscape 2026 and 2027)
Measure20262027
Plans6265
$0 premium plans4150
Average in-network out-of-pocket limit$5,426$5,669
Average Part D deductible$433.55$530.28
Maximum Part D deductible allowed by CMS$615$700
Part D out-of-pocket cap$2,100$2,400

This count differs from the headline above, which covers every non-SNP plan with or without drug coverage. No carrier leaves Pinal County for 2027, and no carrier enters that was not already there; the changes are plan by plan.

7 plans on the 2026 Pinal County list end with no successor plan in the county, including Wellcare Giveback (HMO), Wellcare Simple Value (HMO), UHC Nursing Home Plan AZ-F001 (PPO I-SNP). The full list is on the Pinal County guide.

If your plan is not renewing: you receive a non-renewal letter in October. You can pick a new plan during the Annual Enrollment Period (October 15 to December 7, 2026), and a Special Enrollment Period runs through the end of February 2027. Confirm your dates on Medicare.gov. The official Medicare & You handbook explains each option.

The other path

Medigap in Apache Junction

Every Advantage plan on this page replaces Original Medicare with a plan network. The other path keeps Original Medicare and adds a Medicare Supplement (Medigap) policy plus a separate Part D plan.

Medigap has no network: any provider that accepts Medicare accepts it, anywhere in the country. Premiums are higher than most Advantage plans, and in exchange your costs are more predictable.

Timing matters. Your 6-month Medigap open enrollment window starts when you are 65 or older and enrolled in Part B. Inside it, an insurer cannot turn you down or charge more for your health. Outside it, in most cases it can. See Medicare Advantage vs Medigap.

When you can change

How and when to enroll

You must have Medicare Part A and Part B to join a Medicare Advantage plan, and live in the plan's service area, here Pinal County.

Initial Enrollment Period

Seven months around your 65th birthday: the 3 months before, your birthday month, and the 3 months after.

Annual Enrollment Period

October 15 to December 7, 2026. Choose or change plans for 2027; coverage starts January 1.

Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment

January 1 to March 31. If you are in a Medicare Advantage plan, you can switch plans or return to Original Medicare once.

Special Enrollment Periods

Moving, losing employer coverage, gaining Medicaid (AHCCCS) or a plan not renewing can open a window outside the normal calendar.

Ways to enroll: with a licensed agent such as Viola ((480) 300-5776), directly with a plan, or on Medicare.gov. More detail: Medicare enrollment periods.

Prescription drugs

Standalone Part D plans in Arizona

Part D plans are priced by region, so these 9 plans for 2027 apply across Arizona. They pair with Original Medicare (often with Medigap) or with an Advantage plan that has no drug coverage.

Standalone Part D plans, Arizona, contract year 2027
PlanMonthly premiumAnnual deductiblePlan ID
Wellcare Value Script (PDP)Wellcare $5.30 $700 S4802_134
Humana Basic Rx Plan (PDP)Humana $6.30 $700 S5884_146
Wellcare Classic (PDP)Wellcare $7.30 $700 S4802_092
HealthSpring Assurance Rx (PDP)Blue Cross and Blue Shield of IL, NM, OK, TX $9.30 $700 S5715_045
Humana Value Rx Plan (PDP)Humana $22.30 $687 S5884_207
AARP Medicare Rx Saver from UHC (PDP)UnitedHealthcare $79.80 $700 S5921_380
Humana Premier Rx Plan (PDP)Humana $137.60 $350 S5884_174
SilverScript Choice (PDP)Aetna Medicare $152.70 $700 S5601_056
AARP Medicare Rx Preferred from UHC (PDP)UnitedHealthcare $191.50 $300 S5921_409

The Part D out-of-pocket cap is $2,100 in 2026 and $2,400 in 2027 (CMS program parameters). What you pay also depends on Extra Help and any late enrollment penalty.

Plain English

Medicare plan terms on this page

Medicare Advantage (Part C)
A Medicare approved plan from a private company that provides your Part A and Part B benefits in place of Original Medicare. Most include drug coverage and some extras. You keep paying your Part B premium.
$0 Part C premium
The plan charges no monthly premium of its own for medical coverage. You still pay your Part B premium, any drug premium the plan lists, and copays or coinsurance when you use care.
In-network out-of-pocket maximum (MOOP)
The most you pay in a calendar year for covered Part A and Part B services from in-network providers. Once you reach it, the plan pays for covered in-network care for the rest of the year. Premiums and Part D drug costs do not count toward it.
HMO
Health Maintenance Organization. You generally use doctors and hospitals in the plan network, except for emergencies and urgent care, and many HMOs ask for a referral before you see a specialist.
PPO
Preferred Provider Organization. You can use doctors in or out of the network, but out-of-network care usually costs more. Referrals are usually not required.
HMO-POS
An HMO with a point of service option. You mostly use the network, but the plan lets you get some services out of network, usually at a higher cost.
Special Needs Plan (SNP)
A Medicare Advantage plan open only to people with particular needs: both Medicare and Medicaid (AHCCCS in Arizona), certain chronic conditions, or living in an institution such as a nursing home.
Star rating
A yearly CMS quality score from 1 to 5 stars, based on measures such as preventive care, member experience and customer service. It describes the plan overall; it does not tell you whether your doctors or drugs are covered.
FAQ

Apache Junction Medicare questions

How many Medicare Advantage plans are available in Apache Junction for 2027?

Apache Junction uses the Pinal County plan list. It has 47 Medicare Advantage plans for 2027 (Special Needs Plans not included) from 10 organizations, and 45 of them have a $0 Part C premium. You still pay the Part B premium, which is $202.90 a month in 2026; the 2027 amount is announced around November 2026. Source: CMS 2027 Landscape file.

We do not offer every plan available in your area. Any information we provide is limited to those plans we do offer in your area. Please contact Medicare.gov, 1-800-MEDICARE, or your local State Health Insurance Program (SHIP) to get information on all of your options.

Apache Junction is in two counties. Which Medicare plans can I get?

The county of your home address decides. Most of Apache Junction is in Pinal County and uses the Pinal County plan list; addresses in the Maricopa County part of the city use the Maricopa County list.

What is a D-SNP, and who qualifies in Apache Junction?

A Dual Special Needs Plan is a Medicare Advantage plan for people who have both Medicare and Medicaid, which in Arizona is AHCCCS. Eligibility for AHCCCS is decided by the state, not by the plan. The table on this page lists the D-SNPs CMS shows for Pinal County in 2027.

What changes for Medicare plans in Apache Junction in 2027?

In Pinal County, plans with drug coverage (Special Needs Plans included) go from 62 in 2026 to 65 in 2027. The CMS crosswalk shows 7 plans ending or leaving the county with no successor there, 2 plans folding into another plan, and 11 new plans. No carrier leaves the county entirely. Your plan’s Annual Notice of Change lists what changes for you on January 1.

What does local data say about health coverage in Apache Junction?

Census figures (ACS 2020 to 2024 5-year estimates) show 9.1% of Apache Junction residents with no health insurance, against 10.5% for Arizona. People under 65 can shop for coverage on HealthCare.gov, the Marketplace Arizona uses; open enrollment for 2027 coverage starts November 1, 2026.

Provenance

Sources and methodology

  • Plan data: CMS Medicare Advantage / Part D Landscape, contract year 2027 (https://www.cms.gov/files/zip/cy2027-landscape-202609.zip), filtered to Pinal County (FIPS 04021), retrieved 2026-10-13 through THE BRAIN (healthcare-db, cms_ma_pd_landscape). Star ratings: CMS 2026 Star Ratings joined by plan ID.
  • 2027 changes: CMS Landscape 2026 (https://www.cms.gov/files/zip/cy2026-landscape-202609.zip) and 2027, with the CMS CY2026 to CY2027 plan crosswalk, retrieved 2026-10-13 through THE BRAIN (healthcare_aep_county_report).
  • Health data: CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, Place Data, 2025 release (2023 survey estimates), retrieved 2026-10-13. Model-based small-area estimates of crude prevalence among adults 18 and over, not a count of local diagnoses. Endpoint: https://data.cdc.gov/resource/eav7-hnsx.json.
  • Demographics: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020 to 2024 5-year estimates, Apache Junction city, Arizona, retrieved 2026-10-13 through THE BRAIN (census_query). Queries: detailed tables and subject table S2701. Residents 65 and over are the sum of the 12 age groups 65 and older in table B01001.
  • Hospitals: CMS Hospital General Information (Provider Data Catalog) (https://data.cms.gov/provider-data/dataset/xubh-q36u), retrieved 2026-10-13.
  • Federal figures: 2026 Part B premium and deductible and Part D base premium ($38.99) from CMS. 2027 values are announced around November 2026.

How the figures are derived

  • Headline plan counts and averages exclude Special Needs Plans, which have their own eligibility rules and are reported separately.
  • "$0 premium" and "average premium" use the Part C premium; the Part C + D premium is reported separately. Out-of-pocket limits are in-network amounts. The average Part D deductible covers plans with drug coverage only.
  • The 2026 to 2027 comparison counts Medicare Advantage plans with drug coverage, Special Needs Plans included, so it differs from the headline count.
  • We do not publish per-plan enrollment: the source does not carry it, and we never estimate plan figures.
We do not offer every plan available in your area. Any information we provide is limited to those plans we do offer in your area. Please contact Medicare.gov, 1-800-MEDICARE, or your local State Health Insurance Program (SHIP) to get information on all of your options.

Rise Up Benefits Group is not connected with or endorsed by the United States government or the federal Medicare program. Medicare has neither endorsed nor reviewed this information.

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