People in Connecticut have access to 61 Medicare Advantage plans, 16 prescription drug plans, and 12 Medigap plans. Your exact options depend on where you live.

Medicare is a health insurance program for people 65 and older, as well as people of any age who have certain health conditions and disabilities.

It’s made up of four parts:

  • Part A (hospital insurance) and Part B (medical insurance) are known as Original Medicare
  • Part C, also known as Medicare Advantage, is an alternative to Original Medicare
  • Part D, which is prescription drug coverage

You can also purchase a supplemental insurance plan (Medigap) to help cover the out-of-pocket costs associated with Original Medicare. Medicare Advantage beneficiaries are not eligible for Medigap.

According to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), 741,026 people in Connecticut are enrolled in Medicare.

The CMS reported the following trends for the 2025 plan year:

  • The average Medicare Advantage monthly premium increased by 26 cents — from $19.77 in 2024 to $20.03 in 2025.
  • The number of available Medicare Advantage plans increased by 10 — from 51 in 2024 to 61 in 2025.
  • All Medicare beneficiaries have the option to enroll in a Medicare Advantage plan, including plans with $0 premiums.
  • All Original Medicare enrollees have the option to buy a stand-alone prescription drug plan.
  • There are 16 stand-alone prescription drug plans available, and the lowest monthly premium is $6.30.
  • About 66% of people with a stand-alone prescription drug plan have the option to enroll in a plan with a lower premium than they paid in 2024.
  • About 33% of people with a stand-alone prescription drug plan receive Extra Help.

Different parts of Medicare cover different services, so it’s important to understand each one in order to determine which is best for you.

Original Medicare

Original Medicare is a federal program that includes Part A and Part B coverage. It’s available to anyone eligible for Medicare.

Most people qualify for premium-free Part A. In 2025, the standard monthly premium for Part B is estimated to be $185, but your premium may be higher based on your income.

Medicare Advantage

Private insurance companies contract with Medicare to bundle Part A and B coverage with additional health and wellness benefits.

Many of these plans include prescription drug coverage, as well as coverage for things like vision, dental, or hearing.

The following companies offer Medicare Advantage plans in Connecticut:

Your choice of plans depends on where you live in Connecticut, as not all plans are available in every region. Each plan sets its own cost and coverage amounts.

Stand-alone prescription drug plans

Private insurance companies contract with Medicare to offer prescription drug coverage. You must be enrolled in Part A or Part B to be eligible.

People in Connecticut can choose from 16 different prescription drug plans offered by some of the following companies:

Service areas may vary by plan. Each plan sets its own cost and coverage amounts.

Medigap

Private insurance companies contract with Medicare to offer supplemental coverage to Original Medicare beneficiaries.

Remember, Medigap is not health insurance — it’s a supplemental policy that helps cover your out-of-pocket costs, including deductibles, copayments, and coinsurance.

People in Connecticut can choose from 12 different Medigap plans:

  • A
  • B
  • C
  • D
  • F
  • F (high deductible)
  • G
  • G (high deductible)
  • K
  • L
  • M
  • N

Some of the companies that offer Medigap plans in Connecticut include:

Service areas may vary by plan. Each plan sets its own cost and coverage amounts.

You’re eligible for Medicare if you:

  • are age 65 or over
  • are a U.S. citizen or legal resident of at least 5 years

If you’re under age 65, you may be eligible for Medicare if you:

When can you enroll in Medicare in Connecticut?

You can only enroll in Medicare or make changes to your coverage during certain periods. This includes:

  • Initial enrollment period (IEP): Your IEP begins three months before your 65th birthday and continues through your birthday month and for three months after.
  • Open enrollment period (OEP): You can enroll in Medicare, switch plans, or drop your coverage from October 15 to December 7.
  • Medicare Advantage OEP: If you’re already enrolled in Medicare Advantage, you can make changes to your coverage from January 1 to March 31.
  • Medigap OEP: You can enroll in Medigap for up to 6 months after you turn 65.

Certain life events can trigger a special enrollment period (SEP), which gives you an opportunity to sign up for Medicare outside of the standard enrollment periods.

Tips for enrolling in Medicare in Connecticut

To help narrow your options, keep these things in mind:

  • Provider network: You may need to stay “in-network” to get the most out of a Medicare Advantage plan. This means getting care from a list of preapproved healthcare professionals and facilities. Before enrolling, verify that your care team is in the network.
  • Prescription drugs: Write a complete list of all your medications. Compare this list with the coverage offered by stand-alone prescription drug plans and Medicare Advantage with prescription drug plans in your area. Before enrolling, verify that your medications are available and at an accessible price point.
  • Travel coverage: Some Medicare Advantage plans offer coverage when you’re outside of the plan’s service area. If you’re a frequent traveler, it might be worthwhile to enroll in a plan that will cover you while you’re away from home.
  • Plan performance: The CMS publishes performance data for Medicare plans every year. Plans are rated from one to five stars, with five being the best.

Medicare has a helpline with staff available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week (excluding some federal holidays) to answer your questions. You can call Medicare at 1-800-633-4227 (TTY: 1-877-486-2048).

For personalized health insurance counseling, contact CHOICES, Connecticut’s State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP), at 1-800-994-9422.

More than 700,000 Connecticut residents are enrolled in Medicare.

Several private insurance companies offer Medicare Advantage, Medigap, and stand-alone prescription drug coverage throughout the state.

Overall, monthly premium costs have remained stable for Medicare Advantage plans in Connecticut.