Data-led articles on 2027 Medicare, ACA open enrollment, life and long-term care, written for the East Valley and the rest of Arizona and reviewed by Viola Lucero, CLTC.
Maricopa County keeps 52 Medicare Advantage plans for 2027, but the average in-network out-of-pocket maximum rose and 20 renewing plans raised theirs. Here is what changed and what to check before December 7.
Maricopa County has 52 Medicare Advantage plans for 2027 (not counting Special Needs Plans), the same count as 2026, from 13 carriers.
The average in-network out-of-pocket maximum rose from $4,560 in 2026 to $4,896 in 2027, and the highest went from $7,900 to $8,900.
Original Medicare works with any provider that takes Medicare in any state, while most Medicare Advantage plans in Maricopa County are built around local networks. Here is how to choose coverage when you live in two places, and what to do about trips abroad and visiting family.
Original Medicare works with any doctor or hospital in the U.S. that accepts Medicare, which is why many snowbirds pair it with a Medicare Supplement.
Most Maricopa County Medicare Advantage plans for 2027 are network plans: 29 HMO and 7 HMO-POS plans, compared with 14 PPO and 2 Regional PPO plans (not counting Special Needs Plans).
Open enrollment for 2027 Marketplace coverage in Arizona runs November 1, 2026 to January 15, 2027. The bigger story is the income cap on tax credits, which came back in 2026. Here is what that means for your renewal.
Arizona uses HealthCare.gov. Open enrollment for 2027 coverage runs November 1, 2026 to January 15, 2027; enroll by December 15 for coverage that starts January 1.
The enhanced premium tax credits expired at the end of 2025. For 2026 coverage, credits generally stop above 400% of the federal poverty level: $62,600 for a single person and $84,600 for a couple.
You cannot put money into an HSA once any part of Medicare starts, and Part A can be backdated up to 6 months. Here is how to time your last contribution, what the 2026 limits are, and how to spend the balance in retirement.
Once you are enrolled in any part of Medicare, including premium-free Part A, you can no longer contribute to a Health Savings Account.
If you sign up for Medicare after 65, premium-free Part A is backdated up to 6 months (never earlier than the month you turned 65). Stop contributing about 6 months before you apply to avoid a tax problem.
Your plan mailed a 2027 Annual Notice of Change by September 30. It lists every change that starts January 1. Here is how to read it in 20 minutes and what to do before December 7.
The Annual Notice of Change (ANOC) is the letter your Medicare Advantage or Part D plan mails by September 30. It lists what changes on January 1, 2027.
It is worth reading this year: in Maricopa County, 20 of the 44 Medicare Advantage plans offered in both 2026 and 2027 raised their in-network out-of-pocket maximum.
Medicare Advantage plans in Maricopa County cap in-network costs at between $2,000 and $8,900 for 2027, and daily hospital copays are how many people reach that cap. Here is when a hospital indemnity plan fills that gap, and when it does not.
Hospital indemnity pays a fixed cash amount to you when you are admitted to the hospital. It is not health insurance and does not replace your Medicare plan.
Its job is the gap a Medicare Advantage plan leaves: daily inpatient copays, up to the plan's out-of-pocket maximum. In Maricopa County for 2027 those maximums run from $2,000 to $8,900 in network, averaging $4,896.
If you have both Medicare and AHCCCS, you may qualify for a Dual Special Needs Plan. Maricopa County has 10 of them for 2027. Here is how dual eligibility works, what the Medicare Savings Programs pay, and how to choose.
If you qualify for both Medicare and AHCCCS (Arizona Medicaid), you are "dual eligible." Medicare pays first, and AHCCCS helps with costs Medicare leaves behind.
Maricopa County has 10 Dual Special Needs Plans (D-SNPs) for 2027 from 6 carriers. Pinal County also has 10.
Published September 30, 2026 · Maricopa County, AZ
Arizona has no Medigap birthday rule, so once your first six-month window closes, switching to or between Medicare Supplement plans usually means answering health questions. Here is when you are protected and when you are not.
Your Medigap Open Enrollment Period is six months, starting the month you are 65 or older and have Part B. During it, a company cannot turn you down or charge more for health reasons.
Arizona has no birthday rule, according to the NAIC state chart dated May 11, 2026. After your window closes, insurers can usually ask health questions.
Final expense is small, permanent coverage built to pay for a funeral and last bills. Term life is larger, temporary coverage built to replace income or clear a debt. After 60, the right choice depends on what the money is for and how long you need it.
Final expense is a small whole life policy meant to cover a funeral and final bills. It lasts for life and the premium is typically level.
Term life covers a set number of years. It usually buys more coverage per premium dollar, but it can end before you do.
Published September 25, 2026 · Arizona
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FAQ
Common questions
Who writes the Rise Up Benefits Group blog?
Articles are written by the Rise Up Benefits Group Data Desk and reviewed by Viola Lucero, CLTC, the agency's founder and a licensed insurance agent in Chandler, Arizona.
Where do the numbers in these articles come from?
From official sources: the CMS Medicare plan landscape files for 2027 plan data, CMS and Medicare.gov for 2026 Medicare costs, HealthCare.gov and the IRS for Marketplace rules, and named surveys for long-term care costs. Every article lists its sources with links.
Can someone go over my own plan with me?
Yes. Book a plan review through the contact page or call (480) 300-5776. Viola also runs free Medicare workshops online and in Chandler.
We speak insurance, so you don't have to.
Book a free, no-pressure review with Viola in Chandler, by phone or by video. Bring your questions; leave with answers.
