Medicare Advantage

Medicare in Scottsdale: 88 Options in Maricopa County

For 2027, Scottsdale is looking at 92 Medicare Advantage plans: 17 new, 13 gone since 2026, and 33 still here but changed on premium, deductible, plan type or name, 13 of them under a new name. Below, how the lineup shifted in Maricopa County and what to compare, with no plan ranked or recommended.

Medicare in Scottsdale: 79 Medicare Advantage plan options available in Maricopa County for 2027.

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — If you're turning 65 in Scottsdale or thinking about switching your Medicare coverage this fall, you're not choosing from a short menu. Scottsdale is in Maricopa County, where 79 Medicare Advantage plans are available for 2027, according to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) plan landscape data.

That's a lot of ground to cover — and understanding how those options are counted can make the Annual Enrollment Period (Oct. 15 – Dec. 7) far less stressful.

What the plan counts actually mean

The number "79" refers to Medicare Advantage plans (Part C) offered across Maricopa County for the 2027 plan year. Because CMS sets plan availability at the county level, every eligible Medicare beneficiary living in Scottsdale has access to the same countywide menu as someone in Mesa, Glendale, or Tempe.

A few other numbers worth knowing about the local landscape:

• 16 carriers offer Medicare Advantage plans that include prescription drug coverage (MA-PD) in the county.
• 742,814 residents age 65 and older live in Maricopa County — one of the largest senior populations in the country.
• Arizona has 10 stand-alone Part D plans for 2026, sold statewide, and Scottsdale residents on Original Medicare can join any of them. Many residents instead get drug coverage bundled into a Medicare Advantage plan. (Stand-alone Part D plans are sold by PDP region, not county by county — Arizona has 10 stand-alone Part D plans for 2026, sold statewide, so anyone in the area with Original Medicare can join one of them; check medicare.gov for the current list.)

Why Scottsdale sees so many options

Maricopa County is one of the largest Medicare markets in the United States. When a county has hundreds of thousands of eligible beneficiaries, more insurance carriers tend to compete there. That's why the plan count in Scottsdale looks so different from a rural county in northern Arizona, where a handful of plans may be the norm.

More choice can be a good thing — but it also means it takes a little more time to compare.

The parts of Medicare, in plain English

If the plan counts feel overwhelming, it helps to remember the basic building blocks:

• Part A covers hospital stays and is premium-free for most people.
• Part B covers doctor visits and outpatient care; it has a standard monthly premium.
• Part C (Medicare Advantage) is an "all-in-one" alternative offered by private insurers that bundles A, B, and usually D.
• Part D covers prescription drugs, either as a stand-alone plan (with Original Medicare) or built into an Advantage plan.
• Medigap (Medicare Supplement) helps pay Original Medicare's out-of-pocket costs. It cannot be paired with Medicare Advantage.

You generally pick one lane: Original Medicare (often with a Medigap plan and a Part D plan) or Medicare Advantage.

What's new for 2027

A few program-level changes apply everywhere, including Scottsdale:

• Part D out-of-pocket cap. The Part D out-of-pocket cap is $2,100 in 2026 and $2,400 in 2027. Once your prescription drug spending hits that ceiling, you pay nothing for covered drugs the rest of the year.
• Part D deductible maximum. The Part D maximum deductible is $615 for 2026 and $700 for 2027. Plans can charge less, but not more.
• No more coverage gap. The old "donut hole" was eliminated in 2025. Part D now has three phases instead of four.
• Medicare Prescription Payment Plan. This optional program lets you spread your drug costs across the year in monthly payments instead of paying at the pharmacy counter.
• IRMAA surcharges — higher Part B and Part D premiums for higher-income beneficiaries — start above $109,000 in income for a single filer in 2026.

Star Ratings, briefly

CMS rates Medicare Advantage and Part D contracts on a 1-to-5 scale to help beneficiaries gauge quality (customer service, member experience, drug safety, and more). Ratings shift year to year, and a rating applies to a contract, not necessarily to every plan under it. Use star ratings as one input among several, not the final word.

Key dates to circle

• Oct. 15 – Dec. 7: Medicare Annual Enrollment Period. Join, switch, or drop a Medicare Advantage or Part D plan. Changes take effect Jan. 1.
• Jan. 1 – Mar. 31: Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period. If you're already in an Advantage plan, you get one chance to switch to another Advantage plan or return to Original Medicare.
• Your Initial Enrollment Period: the 7-month window around your 65th birthday.