Medicare 2026

Where to Get Honest, Unbiased Medicare Help in Salt Lake City

If you live in Salt Lake City and Medicare feels like a maze, you're not alone. With about 142,000 people age 65 or older in Salt Lake County, thousands of neighbors are working through the same questions every year: Which type of coverage fits me? What's changing in 2027? Who can I trust to give me a straight answer?

Free Local Help Exists — And It's Not Trying to Sell You Anything

The good news is that free, unbiased help is available locally — you just have to know where to look. Below is a plain-language guide to two very different kinds of help: Utah's SHIP counselors (who don't sell anything) and licensed insurance agents (who do). Both can be useful. Knowing the difference is what protects you.

Start With Utah SHIP — The Free, Neutral Option

Every state has a State Health Insurance Assistance Program, or SHIP. In Utah, it's run through the Utah Division of Aging and Adult Services and delivered locally by trained counselors and volunteers. SHIP counselors:

• Do not sell insurance.
• Are not paid commissions by any plan or carrier.
• Can walk you through Original Medicare, Medicare Advantage, Part D drug plans, Medigap (supplement) policies, and financial assistance programs like Extra Help and the Medicare Savings Programs.

In the Salt Lake City area, SHIP help is coordinated through Salt Lake County Aging & Adult Services. You can reach Utah SHIP by calling 1-800-541-7735, or find a local counselor at shiptacenter.org. Appointments are free, one-on-one, and confidential.

If you're new to Medicare, appealing a decision, dealing with a Part D issue, or just want someone unbiased to double-check your thinking, SHIP is usually the best first stop.

When a Licensed Agent or Broker Makes Sense

Licensed agents can also be genuinely helpful — but they play a different role. Agents are paid by insurance carriers when they enroll someone in a plan. That doesn't make them bad; it means their job is to help you pick from among the plans they're contracted to sell.

A good agent will:

• Be licensed in Utah (you can verify at insurance.utah.gov).
• Explain both Medicare Advantage and Medigap options, not just one.
• Ask about your doctors, prescriptions, and travel needs before suggesting anything.
• Give you time to think, and never pressure you to sign the same day.

Salt Lake City is in Salt Lake County, where there are 37 Medicare Advantage plans available for 2027, offered by 8 carriers. Blue Cross Blue Shield (HCSC) is not offering plans in the county next year. That's still a lot to sort through, and a good agent can narrow the field once they understand your situation. If you want to compare carriers side by side, ask an independent broker who represents multiple companies rather than a captive agent who represents just one.

Red Flags to Watch For

Whether you're talking to a SHIP counselor, an agent, a call center, or a neighbor at church, some warning signs apply everywhere:

• Unsolicited calls or door knocks about Medicare plans. This generally isn't allowed under CMS marketing rules.
• "You must switch today" pressure. You don't.
• Anyone claiming to be from Medicare offering you a new card or asking for your Medicare number over the phone.
• Promises of specific savings without reviewing your prescriptions, doctors, and health needs first.

If something feels off, hang up and call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227) or Utah SHIP to double-check.

What's Actually Changing in 2027

A few program-level facts are worth knowing before any meeting, so you can ask smarter questions:

• Part D out-of-pocket cap: $2,100 in 2026 and $2,400 in 2027. Once your covered drug spending hits that amount, you pay nothing for covered drugs the rest of the year.
• Part D deductible: Up to $615 maximum for 2026 and up to $700 maximum for 2027 (plans can set it lower).
• No more "donut hole." The old coverage gap was eliminated in 2025; Part D now has three phases.
• Medicare Prescription Payment Plan: You can opt in to spread your drug costs across the calendar year in monthly payments instead of paying big amounts at the pharmacy counter.
• IRMAA: Higher-income beneficiaries pay extra for Parts B and D. In 2026, surcharges begin above $109,000 in income for a single filer.

These rules apply nationwide, including here in Salt Lake City.

Key Dates to Circle

• Annual Enrollment Period: October 15 – December 7, 2026. This is when most people compare and switch Medicare Advantage or Part D plans for 2027.
• Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment: January 1 – March 31. If you're already in a Medicare Advantage plan, you get one chance to switch to another MA plan or return to Original Medicare.
• Your Initial Enrollment Period: The seven months around your 65th birthday.