How to Choose a Medicare Plan (Without a Broker Pushing You)

Brokers earn commissions when you enroll. Their advice is not neutral. This guide shows you how to make the choice yourself using free official tools.

1. 1

   Decide: Medicare Advantage or Original Medicare?

   This is the biggest fork. Read our side-by-side comparison to understand the trade-offs. Key question: do you value doctor choice nationwide or a lower monthly cost?

2. 2

   List Your Doctors & Prescriptions

   Before comparing plans, make a list of:

   • • Primary care doctor and specialists you see
   • • Preferred hospital(s)
   • • Every prescription drug you take with dosage and frequency

   Any plan you consider must cover your existing doctors and drugs — otherwise it's cheaper on paper but worse in practice.

3. 3

   Use Medicare.gov Plan Finder

   Go to medicare.gov/plan-compare. Enter your zip code, your drugs, and preferred pharmacies. The tool calculates estimated annual out-of-pocket cost per plan — including premiums, copays, and drug costs. This is the single most important tool and it's official.

4. 4

   Filter by Star Rating & Cost

   Sort by star rating (4+ preferred). Then compare total estimated annual cost among top plans. Cheapest premium ≠ cheapest total cost — a $0 premium plan with expensive copays for your prescriptions can cost more than a $50/mo plan that covers them well. Read our star ratings explainer.

5. 5

   Verify Your Doctors Are In-Network

   Do not trust the plan's marketing site alone. Call your doctors' offices directly and ask if they take Plan X. Networks change year-over-year. Ask specifically: "Are you in-network for [Plan Name] Medicare Advantage plan for the [current year]?"

6. 6

   If Choosing Original + Medigap, Shop Medigap Carefully

   Medigap Plan G is currently the most popular for new enrollees. But shop across insurers — the same Plan G coverage from different insurers can vary $50-150/month for identical benefits. In your Initial Enrollment Period, all insurers must accept you regardless of health.

7. 7

   Call SHIP for Free Neutral Help

   Every state has a State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) with counselors who earn no commissions. Find yours at shiphelp.org or call 1-877-839-2675. They will walk you through Plan Finder for free.