People in Washington have access to 152 Medicare Advantage plans, 14 prescription drug plans, and 12 Medigap plans. Your exact options depend on where you live.
Medicare is a health insurance program for people ages 65 and older, as well as younger individuals with certain health conditions and disabilities.
It includes four parts:
- Part A (hospital insurance) and Part B (medical insurance) comprise Original Medicare.
- Part C, known as Medicare Advantage, offers an alternative to Original Medicare.
- Part D provides coverage for prescription medications.
If you have Original Medicare, you can also enroll in a supplemental insurance plan (Medigap) to help cover additional out-of-pocket expenses.
According to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), 1,511,447 people in Washington are enrolled in Medicare.
The CMS reported the following trends for the 2025 plan year:
- The average Medicare Advantage monthly premium decreased by $2.83 — from $28.58 in 2024 to $25.75 in 2025.
- The number of available Medicare Advantage plans increased by 27 — from 125 in 2024 to 152 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 14 stand-alone prescription drug plans available, and the lowest monthly premium is $0.
- All Medicare beneficiaries 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 23% of people with a stand-alone prescription drug plan receive Extra Help.
Each part of Medicare covers specific services, so it’s essential to understand the details of each component.
Original Medicare
Original Medicare is a federal program that includes Part A and Part B and is 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
Medicare Advantage plans are offered by private insurers that collaborate with Medicare to combine Part A and Part B coverage with additional health and wellness benefits.
Many of these plans also include prescription drug coverage, along with certain vision, dental, and hearing services.
Service areas can vary by plan, and each plan establishes its own costs and coverage amounts.
Some of the companies that offer Medicare Advantage plans in Washington include:
- Aetna Medicare
- Allwell
- Community Health Plan of WA Medicare Advantage
- Humana
- Kaiser Permanente
- Regence BlueShield
- UnitedHealthcare
- Wellcare
Service areas can vary by plan, and each plan establishes its own cost and coverage amounts.
Stand-alone prescription drug plans
Private insurance companies contract with Medicare to provide prescription drug coverage. To be eligible, you must be enrolled in Part A or Part B.
People in Washington can choose from 14 different prescription drug plans offered by some of the following companies:
- Aetna Medicare
- Cigna Healthcare
- Humana
- UnitedHealthcare
- Wellcare
Service areas can vary by plan, and each plan establishes its own costs and coverage amounts.
Medigap
Additionally, private insurers partner with Medicare to offer supplemental coverage for Original Medicare beneficiaries.
Medigap plans are not health insurance; they are designed to help cover out-of-pocket expenses, such as deductibles, copayments, and coinsurance.
People in Washington can choose from 12 different Medigap plans:
Some of the companies that offer Medigap plans in Washington include:
- Ace Property and Casualty Insurance Company
- Cigna Health & Life Insurance Company
- Globe Life and Accident Insurance Company
- GPM Health and Life Insurance Company
- Humana (HumanaDental Insurance Company)
- Medico Insurance Company
- Mutual of Omaha (United World Life Insurance Company)
- Premera BlueCross BlueShield of Washington
- Regence BlueShield
- State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company
- Transamerica Life Insurance Company
- United American Insurance Company
- UnitedHealthcare/AARP
- USAA Life Insurance Company
- Washington National Insurance Company
- Wellcare (Centene)
Service areas can vary by plan, and each plan establishes 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 for at least 5 years
If you’re under age 65, you may be eligible for Medicare if you:
- have received Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) or Railroad Retirement Board (RRB) benefits for at least 24 months
- have end stage renal disease (ESRD) or have had a kidney transplant
- have amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease
When can you enroll in Medicare in Washington?
You can only enroll in Medicare or change your coverage during certain periods:
- Initial Enrollment Period (IEP): This lasts for seven months — three months before your 65th birthday, during your birth month, and three months after.
- Open Enrollment Period (OEP): From October 15 to December 7, you can enroll, switch plans, or cancel coverage.
- Medicare Advantage OEP: If you’re already enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan, you can make changes from January 1 to March 31.
- Medigap OEP: You have six months after turning 65 to enroll in Medigap.
Certain life events can trigger a special enrollment period. This allows you to sign up for Medicare outside of standard enrollment.
Tips for enrolling in Medicare in Washington
To help you narrow down your options, consider the following:
- Provider network: To maximize your Medicare Advantage plan, you may need to use in-network providers. Before enrolling, check that your healthcare team is included in the network.
- Prescription drugs: Make a comprehensive list of your medications and compare it with the coverage provided by stand-alone prescription drug plans and Medicare Advantage plans in your area. Ensure that your medications are covered and affordably priced.
- Travel coverage: Some Medicare Advantage plans offer coverage outside of the plan’s service area. If you travel frequently, it may be wise to choose a plan that includes this benefit.
- Plan performance: The CMS publishes annual ratings for Medicare plans, ranging from one to five stars, with five being the highest rating.
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 Washington’sState Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP)at 1-800-562-6900 (1-360-586-0241).
More than 1.5 million Washington residents are enrolled in Medicare.
Dozens of private insurance companies offer Medicare Advantage, Medigap, and stand-alone prescription drug coverage throughout the state.
Overall, monthly premium costs have decreased for Medicare Advantage plans in Washington.