Why we're sending you to a competitor's tool
We're a licensed insurance agency. We have our own plan comparison tool, and we'd be glad for you to use it. But Medicare's Plan Finder does one thing ours cannot: it shows **every** Medicare Advantage and Part D plan sold in your ZIP code, including plans from carriers we aren't contracted with. No independent agent offers every plan in their area — we don't, and neither does anyone else.
So if your goal is to see the complete picture before deciding, start at [medicare.gov/plan-compare](https://www.medicare.gov/plan-compare). It is free, it is run by the same agency that runs Medicare, and nobody there earns a commission on what you pick.
Step 1: Choose what you're shopping for
The opening screen asks whether you want drug plans (Part D), Medicare Advantage plans, or Medigap policies. Advantage and Part D are the two you can compare and enroll in directly here. Medigap is different — Plan Finder shows you the available policy types and price ranges, but you buy those from the insurance company, not through Medicare.
It then asks whether you want to see plans with or without entering your drugs. Take the extra five minutes and enter them. The premium is the number people compare; the drug cost is the number that actually decides which plan is cheaper for you, and the two often point in opposite directions.
Step 2: Enter your prescriptions exactly
This is the part worth being fussy about. Enter each drug by its exact name, dose, and quantity — 20 mg is a different formulary entry from 40 mg, and a plan can cover one and not the other. If you take a brand-name drug, check whether you'd accept the generic, because the tool will price both.
You can also add your preferred pharmacy. Plans set different cost-sharing at preferred versus standard pharmacies, and switching to a pharmacy across town is sometimes worth hundreds of dollars a year. The tool will tell you; nothing else will.
Step 3: Read the total, not the premium
Once your drugs are in, Plan Finder sorts by estimated total yearly cost — premium plus deductible plus what your specific prescriptions will cost you under that plan's rules. That is the number to compare. A $0-premium plan that puts one of your drugs on a high tier can easily cost more over a year than a $40-a-month plan that covers it cheaply.
Two 2026 figures give you context while you read: the standard Part B premium is $202.90 a month with a $283 annual deductible, and Part D out-of-pocket drug spending is capped at $2,100 for the year. That cap is real and it applies on every Part D and Medicare Advantage drug plan, so a very expensive drug year has a ceiling now that it did not have a few years ago.
Step 4: Check the plan, not just the insurer
Before you enroll, open the plan's own provider directory and confirm each doctor, specialist and hospital you want to keep — by name, for that specific plan, for that specific year. Networks change annually, and a carrier being in your area does not mean every one of its plans includes your cardiologist.
Then look at the star rating, the maximum out-of-pocket, and how the plan handles care when you're travelling. If you split the year between two states, that last one matters more than any perk on the list.
Step 5: Enrolling, and where we fit
You can enroll directly through Plan Finder — it hands you off to Medicare's online enrollment for the plan you picked, and you'll get a confirmation number. Write it down. Nothing else is required, and no agent has to be involved at any point.
If you'd rather use a tool that also lets you enroll, our self-enrollment page has both plan finders, ungated. And if you get partway through and hit a question — a drug that no plan seems to cover well, a doctor who's in one plan and not another — a free call costs nothing and you can go straight back to doing it yourself afterwards. See also our full guide to enrolling in Medicare yourself.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Medicare's Plan Finder really free?
Yes. It's run by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, there is no charge, and nobody is paid a commission based on what you choose there.
Does Plan Finder show more plans than an agent does?
Yes. It shows every Medicare Advantage and Part D plan available in your ZIP code. Independent agents, including us, can only show plans from the carriers they're contracted with.
Do I need my Medicare number to use it?
Not to browse and compare — a ZIP code is enough. You'll need your Medicare number and your Part A or Part B effective date when you actually enroll in a plan.
Can I compare Medigap policies on Plan Finder?
You can see which Medigap plan types are offered in your area and the price ranges, but Medigap is purchased from the insurance company directly rather than enrolled in through Medicare.
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