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.
Freelancers, contractors and small business owners in Arizona usually buy coverage through HealthCare.gov. The hard part is estimating income. Here is how tax credits, the self-employed deduction and HSAs fit together.
Most self-employed Arizonans buy coverage through HealthCare.gov, the official Marketplace for Arizona. Open enrollment for 2027 runs November 1, 2026 to January 15, 2027.
Tax credits are based on your estimate of net self-employment income for the year, then reconciled on IRS Form 8962. For 2026 coverage, credits generally stop above 400% of the poverty level ($62,600 single, $84,600 for two).
If you have CHAMPVA or TRICARE, skipping Medicare at 65 can cost you that coverage. If you have VA health care, skipping Part B can cost you a lifelong penalty. Here is how each one works with Medicare.
CHAMPVA: if you turned 65 on or after June 5, 2001, you must be enrolled in Medicare Part A and Part B to keep CHAMPVA. CHAMPVA does not pay your Part B premium.
TRICARE For Life requires Part A and Part B. Medicare pays first; TRICARE For Life pays second.
A private nursing home room in Arizona now has a median cost of $137,240 a year, and Medicare does not pay for long-term custodial care. Here is what care costs here, who pays, and the planning options that fit different budgets.
A private nursing home room in Arizona has a median cost of $137,240 a year (CareScout 2025 survey), up 9% from 2024 and above the national median of $129,575.
Non-medical home care in Arizona has a median cost of $86,944 a year, also above the national figure of $80,080.
If you kept working past 65 on a group health plan, you can usually sign up for Part B later without a penalty, but only inside an 8-month window and only with the right paperwork. Here is how to time it in Arizona.
If you are covered through current employment (yours or your spouse's), you get an 8-month Special Enrollment Period for Part B that starts when the job or the coverage ends, whichever comes first.
Employer size matters: with 20 or more employees, the group plan usually pays first. With fewer than 20, Medicare usually pays first, so you generally need Part B at 65 even while working.
Young adults can stay on a parent's plan until 26. After that you have 60 days to pick new coverage without waiting for open enrollment. Here are the options in Arizona and how to choose.
Under the Affordable Care Act, you can stay on a parent's health plan until you turn 26, whether or not you are married, in school or financially independent.
When that coverage ends depends on the plan. Many end it on your 26th birthday or at the end of that month, but check the parent's plan documents for the exact date.
A small employer in Chandler has more ways to help with health coverage than a traditional group plan: reimbursement arrangements like QSEHRA and ICHRA, a federal tax credit for the smallest firms, and add-on dental, vision and life. Here is how each works.
Businesses with fewer than 50 full-time employees (including full-time equivalents) are not required by federal law to offer health coverage, but many do to hire and keep staff.
A QSEHRA lets a small employer reimburse individual premiums and medical costs tax free, up to $6,450 self-only or $13,100 family for 2026 (IRS Rev. Proc. 2025-32).
Published September 11, 2026 · Chandler, AZ
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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.
