Working Past 65 in Arizona: Should You Delay Medicare or Enroll Now?
More Arizonans are working past 65 than ever before. Some love their work and have no plans to retire. Some need the income. Some just want to keep their group health plan because it covers a spouse or includes benefits they like. Whatever the reason, if you are still working at 65, the Medicare decision gets more complicated.
I am a licensed Medicare broker here in Mesa, and this is one of the most misunderstood topics I run into. Some people enroll in Medicare at 65 when they did not need to and end up paying for coverage they were not using. Others delay Medicare when they should not have and get hit with a permanent late enrollment penalty. The right answer depends on your specific situation, but the rules themselves are knowable. Let me walk you through them.
The Question That Decides Everything: How Big Is Your Employer?
The single biggest factor in whether you should enroll in Medicare at 65 or delay is the size of your employer.
If your employer has 20 or more employees, your group health plan is your primary coverage and Medicare would be secondary if you enrolled. In this scenario, you can usually delay Part B without a penalty, because the law says you have credible coverage through work. You can sign up for Part B later when you actually retire and the employer plan ends.
If your employer has fewer than 20 employees, Medicare becomes your primary coverage at 65 whether you enroll or not. The group plan pays second. If you do not enroll in Medicare in this situation, your employer plan can refuse to pay for things Medicare would have covered, and you can be left with massive bills. In small-employer situations, you almost always need to enroll in Part A and Part B at 65.
This rule catches people off guard all the time. They assume that because they have employer coverage, they are fine. They are fine in the first scenario. They are not fine in the second. If you work for a small business in Arizona, this is the first thing to confirm.
What Part A Looks Like When You Are Working
Part A covers hospital stays and is usually free. If you or your spouse paid Medicare taxes for at least 10 years, your Part A premium is zero. Because there is no monthly cost, almost everyone enrolls in Part A at 65 even if they are still working.
There is one big exception. If you are contributing to a Health Savings Account through your employer, you cannot enroll in any part of Medicare without losing the ability to contribute. The IRS rules treat Medicare enrollment, including premium-free Part A, as disqualifying coverage for HSA contributions. If your HSA contributions matter to you, you have to delay Part A enrollment until you are ready to stop those contributions. This is a big enough topic that I wrote a separate article on it.
If you are not on an HSA plan, go ahead and enroll in Part A at 65. It is free, it gives you some hospital coverage on top of whatever your employer plan does, and it does not create any complications.
The Real Decision Is About Part B
Part B covers doctor visits and outpatient care. It has a monthly premium, which in 2026 is $185 a month for most people. Higher earners pay more under the IRMAA rules. If your modified adjusted gross income two years ago was over $103,000 individual or $206,000 joint, your premium is higher.
For most people working past 65 with employer coverage from a company of 20 or more, the answer is to delay Part B. You are paying a premium for coverage you do not need because your group plan already covers doctor visits. When you retire and your employer plan ends, you have a Special Enrollment Period that lets you sign up for Part B without a penalty.
For people with smaller employers, retiree-only plans, COBRA, or marketplace coverage, the rules are different. None of those count as creditable coverage for delaying Part B. If you skip Part B in those scenarios, you build up a 10 percent Part B premium penalty for every 12 months you went without it, and the penalty is permanent. A two-year delay becomes a 20 percent surcharge for the rest of your life.
This is why I always tell clients to talk to me before they assume they can delay. The rule is specific. Group employer coverage from a company with 20 or more employees is the one situation where delaying is generally safe.
Part D and the Drug Coverage Question
Part D covers prescription drugs and has its own late enrollment penalty if you go without creditable drug coverage for more than 63 days after your Initial Enrollment Period.
Most employer plans include drug coverage that counts as creditable. Your HR department should give you a notice every fall confirming whether your plan is creditable. Save that letter. When you eventually enroll in Part D after retiring, you will need to prove you had creditable coverage to avoid the penalty.
If your employer drug coverage is not creditable, you should enroll in a Part D plan at 65 even if you are keeping the rest of your employer coverage. The Part D penalty is small but permanent. Avoiding it is easy if you know the rule.
The HSA Trap That Catches So Many People
Health Savings Accounts have been growing in popularity, and a lot of people in their early 60s are sitting on substantial HSA balances. If you are still contributing to an HSA, the Medicare rules can blow up your retirement plan if you are not careful.
Medicare Part A enrollment, even free Part A, makes you ineligible to contribute to an HSA. It does not matter that Part A is free or that you are still working. Once you are enrolled, you cannot put another …
Medicare for Snowbirds: Why Original Medicare Plus a Supplement Often Wins in Arizona
Arizona has one of the highest snowbird populations in the country. Every fall, hundreds of thousands of seniors arrive from Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, the Dakotas, and Canada to spend the winter in Mesa, Apache Junction, Sun City, and the rest of the Valley. And every spring, plenty of full-time Arizona residents do the opposite and head to a cabin in Colorado, Idaho, or back to wherever they used to live. Either way, your Medicare plan needs to work in both places. That is where snowbirds run into trouble.
I have been a licensed Medicare broker in Mesa for 7 years, and the snowbird question is one of the most common ones I get. The short answer is that Original Medicare paired with a Medigap supplement is almost always the better choice if you spend more than a month or two outside Arizona each year. Here is why.
How Medicare Advantage Networks Work Against Snowbirds
Medicare Advantage plans are run by private insurance companies. They contract with networks of doctors and hospitals in a defined service area. Most Advantage plans in Arizona have an HMO or PPO network that is local. UnitedHealthcare’s most popular plans in Maricopa County, for example, contract heavily with Banner, HonorHealth, and a few other Valley systems. If you go see a doctor in Wisconsin, that doctor is not in the network.
Most Advantage plans cover emergency care and urgent care anywhere in the United States. That is required. But routine care, follow-up visits, lab work, physical therapy, and specialist appointments outside your home network either are not covered or are covered at a significantly higher out-of-pocket rate. Some PPO plans offer out-of-network coverage at, say, 50 percent. That sounds reasonable until you realize it means you pay half of every visit, every test, every procedure for the four months you are gone.
Some Advantage plans now offer “travel benefits” that extend coverage for a limited number of days each year. These programs vary, the rules are confusing, and the day limits are usually shorter than a real snowbird stay. They are better than nothing, but they are not a substitute for coverage that simply works everywhere.
How Original Medicare Solves This
Original Medicare, meaning Part A and Part B together, has no network. Any provider in the United States that accepts Medicare will see you, period. That is roughly 95 percent of doctors in the country. Whether you are at home in Mesa or visiting your sister in Spokane, you can walk into any Medicare-accepting clinic, hand them your red, white, and blue Medicare card, and be seen as a regular patient.
The catch with Original Medicare on its own is that it leaves you exposed. After Part B’s annual deductible, you pay 20 percent of every doctor visit and outpatient procedure, and there is no annual cap on your out-of-pocket costs. One bad year with a hospital stay and a few surgeries could leave you with bills in the tens of thousands. That is what Medigap is for.
A Medigap supplement, also called a Medicare Supplement, fills in those gaps. The most popular plan in Arizona is Plan G. With Plan G, after you pay the small Part B deductible each year, the plan covers everything else that Original Medicare leaves on the table. No copays at the doctor. No 20 percent coinsurance. Predictable costs. And because Original Medicare is the underlying coverage, you have access to any doctor in the country who takes Medicare. The supplement travels with you everywhere Medicare does.
What This Looks Like in Real Numbers
Let me give you a typical snowbird example. A 68-year-old woman in good health splits time between Mesa and Wisconsin. Six months in each state.
If she enrolls in a $0 premium Medicare Advantage plan with a $5,500 out-of-pocket maximum, her monthly cost is just the standard Part B premium. As long as she stays in Arizona, that plan works fine. But the four months she is in Wisconsin, she has to either fly back to Arizona for non-emergency care, pay full price out of pocket, or use the limited travel benefits if her plan has them. If anything serious comes up while she is gone, her exposure can be significant.
If she enrolls in Original Medicare plus a Plan G supplement, she pays the standard Part B premium plus roughly $130 to $180 per month for Plan G in Arizona. That is around $1,500 to $2,200 per year more than the Advantage plan in premiums. In exchange, she has predictable costs, almost no copays, no out-of-pocket maximum risk, and full coverage in Wisconsin, Mesa, anywhere she travels in the country. She also picks up a standalone Part D drug plan that works nationwide.
For most snowbirds, the extra cost is worth the peace of mind. They are not driving back to the Valley for a follow-up appointment in March. They are not paying half-price for a specialist in Wisconsin. They go to their doctor when they need to, wherever they are, and the bills work the way they expect.
When a Medicare Advantage Plan Can Still Work for Travelers
There are a few cases where a snowbird can still do well on Advantage. If both the home and away states fall within the same plan’s broader PPO network, that can work. Some national carriers have larger PPO networks that include providers in popular snowbird states. If you are healthy, do not have ongoing conditions that require regular specialist visits, and your travel destination has solid in-network options, an Advantage PPO can save money compared to a supplement.
If your time outside Arizona is shorter, say a couple of weeks for a vacation each year, the math also looks different. Emergency and urgent care are covered nationwide on every Advantage plan, so a brief trip is not a coverage problem.
The plans that work for travel also tend to be the more expensive Advantage plans, often with monthly premiums. Once you are paying $50 …
How to Help Your Aging Parent Choose a Medicare Plan in Arizona
If you are reading this, chances are you love someone who is trying to figure out Medicare. Maybe your mom is turning 65 next year and feels overwhelmed by all the mail. Maybe your dad is on a plan that has not really worked for him and you are worried he is paying for the wrong coverage. Either way, helping a parent navigate Medicare is one of the kindest things an adult child can do. It is also one of the most confusing.
I am a licensed Medicare broker in Mesa, and I work with families across the East Valley every week. About a third of my conversations these days are not with the person turning 65. They are with that person’s son or daughter sitting next to them at the kitchen table. This guide is for you.
Start by Understanding What Medicare Actually Is
Before you can help your parent choose a plan, both of you need a clear picture of how Medicare is built. There are four parts. Part A covers hospital stays and is usually free if your parent or their spouse paid Medicare taxes for at least 10 years. Part B covers doctor visits and outpatient care and has a monthly premium that comes out of their Social Security check. Part C, also called Medicare Advantage, is an alternative to Original Medicare offered by private insurance companies. Part D covers prescription drugs.
Most Arizona seniors I work with end up with one of two paths. They either keep Original Medicare and add a Medigap supplement plus a Part D drug plan, or they enroll in a Medicare Advantage plan that bundles everything together. Both are valid. The right answer depends on your parent’s health, finances, doctors, prescriptions, and how much they travel. I will get into how to figure that out below.
Gather the Information You Need Before Shopping
The biggest mistake I see adult children make is jumping straight to comparing plans before they have the basic facts in hand. You cannot pick the right plan without these five pieces of information.
First, get a complete list of your parent’s doctors. Not just their primary care physician. Their cardiologist, their dermatologist, the orthopedic surgeon they saw last year, the gastroenterologist they like at Banner. If they want to keep seeing a specific provider, that doctor needs to be in network on whatever plan you choose.
Second, get a complete list of their medications. Drug name, dosage, and how often they take it. This includes anything they take occasionally, not just the daily ones. Drug coverage varies enormously between plans, and a plan that looks cheap on paper can cost thousands more per year if it does not cover your mom’s blood thinner.
Third, find out if they spend significant time outside Arizona. If they travel to visit grandkids for months, or if they snowbird in reverse and head north for the summer, their plan needs to work in those places. This is where Original Medicare with a supplement often wins for travelers.
Fourth, get a realistic picture of their budget. Some plans have $0 premiums but higher costs when they actually use care. Others have higher monthly premiums but predictable, capped costs. Knowing whether your parent prioritizes low monthly bills or low surprise bills changes everything.
Fifth, understand their health honestly. A parent in great health with no chronic conditions has different needs than one managing diabetes, heart disease, or cancer. Be ready to talk frankly about what their next five years might look like, not just what this year looks like.
Have the Conversation Without Taking Over
Helping is not the same as taking over. Your parent has spent decades making their own decisions, and Medicare is no different. The role you want to play is researcher, organizer, and second set of ears. Not decision-maker.
I always recommend the adult child sits in on the call or appointment with the broker but lets the parent lead. Take notes. Ask follow-up questions when something is unclear. After the appointment, you can debrief together and your parent can ask the questions they did not want to ask in front of someone else. This approach respects their independence and still gives them the support they need.
It also catches things they might miss. I cannot count how many times a daughter has said, “Mom, you forgot to mention the medication you started in February.” That kind of catch is exactly why having you there matters.
Compare Plans on the Things That Actually Matter
Once you have the information, plan comparison gets a lot simpler. Here is what to actually look at.
Look at the total annual cost, not the premium. A plan with a $0 premium and a $7,550 out-of-pocket maximum costs more than a plan with a $200 monthly premium and a $2,500 out-of-pocket maximum if your parent ends up needing care. Add up premium plus deductible plus copays for their actual expected usage.
Look at whether their doctors are in network. Almost every Medicare Advantage plan has a network. If your parent’s primary care doctor is not in it, the plan is wrong for them, no matter how good it looks on paper.
Look at how their specific medications are covered. Each plan has a formulary that lists covered drugs and their tier. A drug on tier 4 costs a lot more than the same drug on tier 2 of a different plan. The Medicare Plan Finder at medicare.gov lets you enter the medications and see real costs side by side. A broker can do this faster.
Look at extras only after the basics check out. Dental, vision, hearing, fitness benefits, OTC allowances, and grocery cards are great. They should not drive the decision. The plan that pays for your dad’s hearing aids but does not cover his oncologist is a bad trade.
The Plans I See Adult Children Get Wrong
Three patterns come up over and over.
The first is choosing based on …
What Is the Medicare Part B Give Back Benefit? Arizona Plans That Lower Your Premium
If you’ve been shopping Medicare plans here in Arizona, you may have heard about something called the “Part B Give Back” benefit. It sounds almost too good to be true — a Medicare Advantage plan that actually reduces your monthly Part B premium. But it’s real, and there are several plans in the Mesa and East Valley area that offer it in 2026.
Let me explain how it works and who it makes sense for.
How the Part B Give Back Works
Every Medicare beneficiary pays a Part B premium — $185 per month in 2026 for most people. That comes directly out of your Social Security check. Normally, that’s a fixed cost you can’t avoid.
But certain Medicare Advantage plans include a Part B premium reduction, commonly called the “Give Back” benefit. When you enroll in one of these plans, the insurance carrier sends part of your Part B premium back to Social Security, which means a larger Social Security deposit each month.
The give back amount varies by plan. In Maricopa County, I’ve seen plans offering anywhere from $50 to $120 per month back toward your Part B premium in 2026. That’s real money — a $100 monthly give back puts $1,200 back in your pocket over the course of a year.
Which Plans Offer It in the East Valley?
Not every Medicare Advantage plan includes the Part B Give Back. It’s typically offered by larger carriers with strong Medicare Advantage programs. In the Mesa, Gilbert, Chandler, and Tempe area, you’ll find give back options from several major insurers.
The specific plans and amounts change each year, so I always recommend comparing what’s currently available rather than relying on last year’s information. The give back amount, the plan’s network, drug coverage, and other benefits all need to be weighed together.
What’s the Catch?
There’s no catch in the traditional sense, but there are tradeoffs worth considering. Plans that offer a Part B Give Back may have trade-offs in other areas. Some give back plans have smaller provider networks, which could be a problem if your preferred doctors aren’t included. The drug formulary might be more limited, meaning your specific medications could cost more. Copays for services like specialist visits or hospital stays might be higher than plans without the give back benefit. Some give back plans may not include the extras — dental, vision, hearing, or fitness benefits — that other Advantage plans offer.
In other words, saving $100 a month on your Part B premium doesn’t help you if the plan costs you more in other areas. The total picture matters more than any single benefit.
Who Benefits Most From the Give Back?
In my experience working with people across the East Valley, the Part B Give Back tends to work best for people who are relatively healthy and don’t use a lot of medical services, meaning the lower premium savings outweigh any differences in copays. It also works well for people whose doctors happen to already be in the give back plan’s network, and for those who take generic or common medications that are well-covered across most formularies. People on a fixed income where the monthly savings make a meaningful difference in their budget also tend to benefit.
On the flip side, if you have complex health needs, see multiple specialists, or take expensive medications, a different Advantage plan with broader coverage and lower copays might save you more money overall — even without the give back.
How to Know if a Give Back Plan Is Right for You
The only way to know for sure is to compare plans side by side using your actual doctors and medications. That’s exactly what I do with every person I work with. We’ll look at total estimated costs — premiums, copays, drug costs, and everything else — to see whether a give back plan actually saves you money compared to the alternatives.
I’ve helped people in Scottsdale and Gilbert realize that a give back plan saved them over $1,000 a year compared to what they had. I’ve also helped people in Mesa and Tempe realize that a different plan without the give back was a better deal once we factored in their prescriptions and specialist visits. Every situation is different.
The Bottom Line
The Part B Give Back is a legitimate benefit that can save Arizona seniors real money — but it’s not automatically the best choice for everyone. The smart move is to compare all your options with someone who can look at the full picture, not just the headline premium savings.
If you’re in the Mesa, Gilbert, Chandler, Tempe, or Scottsdale area and want to see whether a Part B Give Back plan makes sense for you, I’d love to help. There’s no cost to work with me and no obligation — just a clear look at your options.
Related reading: If you take a GLP-1 like Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro, or Zepbound, the Part D side of Medicare matters as much as the Part B premium. See Does Medicare Cover Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro, and Zepbound in Arizona? for a simple breakdown of what is covered and what is not.
Call me at 480-296-5804 or fill out the form and I’ll reach out at a time that works for you.
Andy Childs is a licensed Medicare broker based in Mesa, Arizona.…
How to Find Doctors That Accept Medicare in Mesa and the East Valley
One of the biggest concerns I hear from people getting ready to go on Medicare is whether they’ll be able to keep their current doctor. It’s a fair worry — you’ve built a relationship with your physician, they know your health history, and starting over with someone new isn’t appealing. The good news is that in the Mesa and East Valley area, the vast majority of doctors accept Medicare. But the specifics depend on which type of Medicare plan you choose.
Original Medicare: The Broadest Access
If you’re on Original Medicare (Parts A and B) — with or without a Medicare Supplement plan — you can see any doctor in the entire country who accepts Medicare. There are no networks, no referral requirements, and no restrictions on specialists. You simply show up, show your Medicare card, and receive care.
According to the most recent data, about 97% of physicians who accept any insurance also accept Medicare. Here in Arizona, that number is strong. Nearly every major health system in the East Valley — including Banner Health, HonorHealth, Dignity Health, and the Mayo Clinic network — accepts Original Medicare.
This is one of the main reasons some people prefer Original Medicare with a Supplement plan. The freedom to see anyone, anywhere, without worrying about networks is hard to beat.
Medicare Advantage: Networks Matter
If you choose a Medicare Advantage plan, your doctor access depends on the plan’s provider network. Most Advantage plans in Maricopa County are either HMO (Health Maintenance Organization) or PPO (Preferred Provider Organization) plans.
With an HMO plan, you’ll typically need to choose a primary care physician within the network and get referrals to see specialists. With a PPO plan, you have more flexibility to see out-of-network providers, though you’ll pay less if you stay in-network.
The networks for major carriers like UnitedHealthcare, Humana, Aetna, and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona are generally quite broad in the Mesa, Gilbert, Chandler, and Tempe areas. But it’s absolutely critical to verify that your specific doctors are in-network before you enroll. I cannot stress this enough — don’t assume your doctor is covered.
How to Check if Your Doctor Accepts Your Plan
There are a few ways to verify doctor participation. The most reliable is to call your doctor’s office directly and ask whether they accept the specific plan you’re considering. Don’t just ask if they accept Medicare — ask about the exact plan name and carrier. A doctor might accept Original Medicare but not a particular Advantage plan, or vice versa.
You can also use Medicare’s official physician finder at Medicare.gov. For Medicare Advantage plans, each carrier has an online provider directory where you can search by doctor name, specialty, or location. I recommend using these as a starting point, but always confirming with a phone call to the doctor’s office. Online directories can be outdated.
For an East Valley plan review, check the exact doctor, office location, plan name, and coverage year with both the plan and the provider’s office. An insurer’s name alone does not establish participation. During your fall review, use the Arizona Annual Notice of Change checklist to review costs and prescriptions as well as doctors; the ANOC is not a personalized network confirmation.
Finding New Medicare Doctors in the East Valley
If you’re new to the Mesa area or need to find a new doctor, you’re in a great spot. The East Valley has a strong concentration of physicians across every specialty. A few tips for finding the right fit:
Start with Medicare’s Care Compare tool at Medicare.gov, which lets you search for doctors, hospitals, and other providers near you and see quality ratings. Ask friends, family, or neighbors for recommendations — word of mouth is still one of the best ways to find a good doctor here in Arizona. Check with the plan you’re considering to see which primary care doctors near your zip code are accepting new patients. If you have specific health conditions, look for doctors who specialize in that area and are affiliated with a major local health system like Banner Desert Medical Center in Mesa or Mercy Gilbert Medical Center.
What if Your Doctor Leaves Your Plan’s Network?
This happens more often than people expect. A doctor you’ve been seeing for years might decide to stop accepting a particular Advantage plan’s network. If that happens, you have a few options.
During the Annual Enrollment Period (October 15 through December 7), you can switch to a different plan that includes your doctor. In some cases, you may qualify for a Special Enrollment Period if the network change disrupts your current treatment. You can also continue seeing the doctor out-of-network if you have a PPO plan, though it will cost more.
This is something I help people navigate regularly. If your doctor drops out of your plan’s network, give me a call and we’ll figure out the best path forward.
The Bottom Line
Keeping your doctors — or finding great new ones — is absolutely possible on Medicare. The key is understanding how different plan types affect your provider access and doing your homework before you enroll. In the Mesa, Gilbert, Chandler, and East Valley area, you have plenty of excellent physicians and medical facilities to choose from.
Need help checking your doctors before choosing coverage? Learn about working with Andy, a Medicare broker in Mesa. I review the plans I am contracted to offer, with no additional fee for my assistance. Confirm unresolved network or coverage questions with the plan before enrolling.
Call me at 480-296-5804 or fill out the form and I’ll reach out at a time that works for you.
Related reading: If your prescriber wrote you a GLP-1 like Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro, or Zepbound, drug coverage gets its own checklist. See Does Medicare Cover Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro, and Zepbound in Arizona? for prior authorization, formulary, and cost expectations.
Andy Childs is a licensed Medicare broker based in Mesa, Arizona.
Related reading
…Medicare for Veterans in Arizona: How VA Benefits and Medicare Work Together
Arizona has one of the largest veteran populations in the country, and here in the East Valley I work with veterans regularly who have questions about how Medicare and their VA benefits fit together. The good news is you can have both. The details are worth understanding so you’re getting the most out of your coverage.
Do Veterans Need Medicare if They Have VA Coverage?
VA health benefits and Medicare are two completely separate programs. You’re not required to enroll in Medicare if you have VA coverage, but in most cases I strongly recommend it. Here’s why.
VA healthcare is excellent for many things, but it has limitations. You generally need to receive care at VA facilities or through VA-authorized providers. If you’re in a situation where you need immediate care and the nearest VA facility is across town — or if your preferred doctor doesn’t work with the VA system — having Medicare gives you the flexibility to see any doctor who accepts Medicare, anywhere in the country.
Think of it this way: VA coverage is a great benefit, but Medicare is your safety net for everything the VA doesn’t cover or can’t provide quickly enough.
Enrolling in Medicare Part A and Part B
If you’re a veteran turning 65 and you’ve paid Medicare taxes through your working years, you should absolutely enroll in Part A. It’s free for most people, and there’s no downside to having it. Part A covers hospital stays and works alongside your VA benefits without any conflict.
Part B is where the decision gets more nuanced. Part B costs $185 per month in 2026 and covers doctor visits and outpatient services. If you rely heavily on the VA for most of your healthcare needs and rarely see outside doctors, you might question whether it’s worth the monthly cost.
My advice for veterans in Mesa, Chandler, and the surrounding area: if you can afford the Part B premium, enroll when you’re first eligible. If you skip Part B at 65 and decide later that you want it, you’ll face a late enrollment penalty of 10% for every 12-month period you were eligible but didn’t enroll. That penalty sticks with you permanently.
The VA does not count as creditable coverage for Medicare Part B purposes. This is a critical point that trips up a lot of veterans here in Arizona.
How VA Benefits and Medicare Coordinate
When you have both VA benefits and Medicare, they don’t coordinate the way employer insurance and Medicare do. Instead, they work independently. If you receive care at a VA facility, the VA covers it under their system. Medicare doesn’t get billed and doesn’t pay. If you receive care outside the VA system from a doctor who accepts Medicare, Medicare is your primary insurance. The VA won’t pick up costs for care received outside their system unless it was pre-authorized.
This is why having a Medicare plan — whether that’s a Supplement or an Advantage plan — is so valuable for veterans. It gives you a complete healthcare picture for care inside and outside the VA system.
Can Veterans Get Medicare Advantage?
Yes, and many veterans in the Phoenix metro area do exactly that. You can enroll in a Medicare Advantage plan and still use VA facilities. However, when you receive care at the VA, your Advantage plan won’t cover it and the VA handles it directly. When you see doctors in your Advantage plan’s network, the plan covers it.
One important note: if you receive most of your care at VA facilities, the care you get there won’t count toward your Advantage plan’s out-of-pocket maximum. Keep that in mind when comparing plans.
For veterans in the East Valley who split their care between VA and non-VA providers, I often recommend looking at Advantage plans with broad networks and low out-of-pocket costs to complement their VA benefits.
TRICARE for Life and Medicare
If you’re a military retiree with TRICARE, the situation is a bit different. Once you turn 65, your TRICARE benefit converts to TRICARE for Life, which works as a supplement to Medicare. You must be enrolled in both Part A and Part B for TRICARE for Life to work. If you don’t sign up for Part B, you lose your TRICARE for Life coverage.
TRICARE for Life is one of the best supplemental coverages available — it picks up nearly all the costs that Medicare doesn’t cover. If you’re eligible, make sure your Part B enrollment is handled well before your 65th birthday.
Local VA Resources in the East Valley
For veterans in the Mesa area, the Phoenix VA Health Care System has a clinic right here in Mesa on East University Drive, along with the main medical center in Phoenix. The Southeast Veterans Center in Gilbert and outpatient clinics in Chandler and Tempe are also accessible for East Valley residents.
If you need help figuring out your VA eligibility or enrollment, the Maricopa County Veterans Service Office can help with that. For the Medicare side of things, that’s where I come in.
The Bottom Line
Having VA benefits doesn’t mean you should skip Medicare. In most situations, enrolling in Medicare alongside your VA coverage gives you more flexibility, more provider choices, and protection against gaps in care. And if you’re a TRICARE retiree, enrolling in Part B is essential to keeping your TRICARE for Life benefit.
If you’re a veteran in Mesa, Gilbert, Chandler, or anywhere in the East Valley and want to talk through how Medicare fits with your VA benefits, I’m happy to help. No cost, no obligation — just a straightforward conversation about your options.
Call me at 480-296-5804 or fill out the form and I’ll reach out at a time that works for you.
Andy Childs is a licensed Medicare broker based in Mesa, Arizona.…
Can I Change My Medicare Plan in Arizona? Special Enrollment Periods Explained
A question I get almost every week from people here in Mesa and around the East Valley: “I picked a Medicare plan, but I don’t think it’s right for me anymore. Can I switch?” The short answer is yes — but when and how you can change depends on your situation.
Let me walk you through how it works so you’re not stuck in a plan that doesn’t fit.
The Annual Enrollment Period: Your Yearly Window
Every year from October 15 through December 7, all Medicare beneficiaries can make changes to their coverage. This is called the Annual Enrollment Period (AEP), and it’s the most common time people switch plans. During AEP you can switch from one Medicare Advantage plan to another, drop your Advantage plan and go back to Original Medicare, add or change a Part D prescription drug plan, or join a Medicare Advantage plan for the first time.
Any changes you make during AEP take effect on January 1 of the following year. This is when I’m busiest — I spend most of October and November helping Arizona seniors review their current plans and compare options for the year ahead.
The Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period
This is one that a lot of people don’t know about. From January 1 through March 31 each year, if you’re already enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan, you get one chance to make a change. You can switch to a different Advantage plan or drop your Advantage plan and return to Original Medicare (and pick up a Part D plan).
You can only make one change during this window, and it takes effect the first of the month after the plan receives your request. This is a useful safety net if you enrolled in a plan during AEP and realized in January that it’s not working for you.
Special Enrollment Periods: When Life Changes
Outside of those scheduled windows, certain life events can trigger a Special Enrollment Period (SEP) that lets you make changes. Some of the most common situations I see here in Arizona include moving to a new area — if you relocate from Tucson to Mesa, for example, the plans available to you change and you get a chance to pick a new one. Losing employer or union coverage is another common trigger. If you or your spouse retire and lose group health insurance, you get a window to enroll in Medicare and choose a plan.
Other qualifying events include being released from incarceration, losing Medicaid eligibility, your current plan leaving your area or dropping your doctors, qualifying for Extra Help (Low-Income Subsidy) for the first time, or moving into or out of a skilled nursing facility.
The timing of each SEP varies. Some give you two months, others give you longer. The key is acting quickly — if you miss your window, you may have to wait until the next AEP.
What About Medicare Supplement Plans?
Medicare Supplement (Medigap) plans work a little differently. In most cases, you can apply to switch your Supplement plan at any time during the year, but you may have to go through medical underwriting. That means the insurance company can ask health questions and potentially deny you or charge a higher rate based on your medical history.
The major exception is your Medigap Open Enrollment Period — the 6-month window that starts when you turn 65 and enroll in Part B. During that time, no company can deny you or charge you more because of health conditions. This is the golden window, and I always tell people in Chandler, Gilbert, and across the Valley to take it seriously.
Arizona doesn’t have a birthday rule like some states do, so once your open enrollment window closes, switching Supplement plans requires underwriting. That’s why getting the right plan from the start matters so much here.
When Switching Makes Sense
Not every plan change is a good one. Before you switch, you should check whether your current doctors are in the new plan’s network, confirm your prescriptions are on the new plan’s formulary, compare out-of-pocket costs honestly (not just premiums), and make sure any treatment you’re currently receiving won’t be disrupted.
I’ve seen people switch plans to save $20 a month and end up paying hundreds more in unexpected costs. A little research goes a long way.
The Bottom Line
You’re not locked into a Medicare plan forever. Between AEP, the Advantage open enrollment period, and Special Enrollment Periods, there are several opportunities to make changes when they make sense. The important thing is knowing which windows apply to you and making informed decisions rather than rushed ones.
If you’re in the Mesa, Gilbert, Tempe, or Chandler area and want to talk about whether a plan change makes sense for your situation, I’m here to help. No cost, no pressure.
Call me at 480-296-5804 or fill out the form and I’ll reach out at a time that works for you.
Andy Childs is a licensed Medicare broker based in Mesa, Arizona.…
Medicare and Dental Coverage in Arizona: What Are Your Options?
Here’s something that catches a lot of people off guard when they move onto Medicare: Original Medicare does not cover routine dental care. No cleanings, no fillings, no dentures. If you’ve had dental coverage through an employer plan your whole life, this can be a rude awakening.
I hear about it constantly from folks here in Mesa and across the East Valley. So let me walk you through what’s actually available and how to fill the gap.
Why Doesn’t Medicare Cover Dental?
When Medicare was created back in 1965, dental care was excluded from the program. Despite decades of conversation about adding it, that hasn’t changed for Original Medicare (Parts A and B). The only dental coverage Medicare Part A provides is in very limited circumstances — like if you need emergency dental surgery in a hospital setting. Day-to-day dental care? You’re on your own unless you plan ahead.
For seniors in Arizona, this is a big deal. Dental work isn’t cheap, and putting it off leads to bigger problems down the road.
Medicare Advantage Plans With Dental Benefits
This is the most popular solution I see among the people I work with in Gilbert, Chandler, and the broader Phoenix metro. Most Medicare Advantage plans in Maricopa County include some level of dental coverage as part of the plan — often at no extra premium beyond your standard Part B cost.
The dental benefits on Advantage plans typically cover preventive care like cleanings and X-rays at no cost, and offer allowances for more extensive work like crowns, root canals, and dentures. The specifics vary by plan, so it’s worth comparing what’s available in your zip code.
Some of the stronger Advantage plans in the Mesa and East Valley area offer dental allowances of $1,500 to $3,000 per year for comprehensive dental work. That can go a long way if you need anything beyond a basic cleaning.
Standalone Dental Insurance Plans
If you’re on Original Medicare with a Supplement plan and don’t have an Advantage plan, you can buy a standalone dental insurance policy. These are widely available in Arizona from carriers like Delta Dental, Cigna, and Humana.
Expect to pay somewhere between $25 and $60 per month depending on the level of coverage. Most standalone dental plans have waiting periods of 6 to 12 months for major work, so the earlier you enroll the better.
One thing I always tell people: read the fine print on annual maximums. Many standalone dental plans cap their benefit at $1,000 to $1,500 per year. If you need a crown or implant, you could blow through that quickly.
Dental Discount Plans
Another option I see people use here in Arizona is a dental discount plan. These aren’t insurance — they’re membership programs that give you reduced rates at participating dentists. You pay an annual fee (usually $80 to $200) and get 15% to 60% off dental services.
The upside is there are no waiting periods and no annual maximums. The downside is you’re still paying out of pocket for everything, just at a lower rate. For people who only need a couple cleanings a year and occasional work, this can actually be more cost-effective than traditional dental insurance.
Community Resources in the East Valley
Arizona also has some community dental resources worth knowing about. The A.T. Still University Arizona School of Dentistry and Oral Health in Mesa offers reduced-cost dental care provided by supervised dental students. Several community health centers across the Valley offer sliding-scale dental services for seniors as well.
These aren’t a substitute for having a real dental plan, but they can help if you’re between coverage or need to keep costs down.
My Recommendation
If dental coverage is important to you — and for most people it should be — the simplest path is usually a Medicare Advantage plan that includes strong dental benefits. You get your medical and dental coverage bundled together, often with no additional premium, and you avoid the waiting periods that come with standalone dental policies.
That said, the right approach depends on your overall situation. If you prefer Original Medicare with a Supplement for other reasons, pairing it with a standalone dental plan is perfectly reasonable too.
I help people across Mesa, Tempe, Scottsdale, Gilbert, and Chandler sort through these options every day. If you’re not sure what makes sense for you, I’m happy to walk you through it.
Call me at 480-296-5804 or fill out the form and I’ll reach out at a time that works for you.
Andy Childs is a licensed Medicare broker based in Mesa, Arizona.…
How Much Does Medicare Cost in Arizona in 2026?
One of the most common questions I get from people approaching 65 here in Mesa and across the East Valley is simple: how much is Medicare actually going to cost me? The answer isn’t as straightforward as most people expect, because Medicare has several moving parts — and each one comes with its own price tag.
Let me break it down so you know exactly what to budget for.
Medicare Part A: Hospital Coverage
Most people qualify for premium-free Part A because they or a spouse paid Medicare taxes long enough while working, generally at least 10 years. People who do not qualify may be able to purchase Part A, with the premium depending on their work history. Check Medicare’s Part A cost guidance for the rules that apply to you.
Part A is not free when you use it. In 2026, the inpatient hospital deductible is $1,736 per benefit period, not per calendar year. A new benefit period starts after you have gone 60 consecutive days without inpatient hospital care or skilled care in a skilled nursing facility. For a covered inpatient hospital stay, the daily Part A coinsurance is $0 for days 1–60 after the deductible, $434 for days 61–90, and $868 for each lifetime reserve day used. Physician services may be billed separately under Part B. Source: CMS 2026 Medicare premiums and deductibles.
Those gaps are a reason to compare Medicare Advantage with Original Medicare plus a supplement. Medicare Advantage is an alternative way to receive Medicare benefits, not a Medigap supplement added on top of Original Medicare.
Medicare Part B: Doctor Visits and Outpatient Care
The standard Part B premium is $202.90 per month in 2026. People receiving Social Security generally have it deducted from their benefit payment. Income-related surcharges, called IRMAA, start above $109,000 for individual tax filers or $218,000 for married couples filing jointly; different rules apply to married filing separately. Social Security generally uses your tax return from two years earlier. Some people receive assistance with premiums or have other adjustments, so check your own notice. Source: CMS 2026 Part B and IRMAA amounts.
The 2026 Part B annual deductible is $283. After meeting it, you typically pay 20% of the Medicare-approved amount for most doctor services, outpatient therapy, and durable medical equipment when the provider accepts assignment. Other services have different cost-sharing rules. Original Medicare does not have an annual out-of-pocket limit unless you have additional coverage that helps with these costs. Source: Medicare costs.
Medicare Part D: Prescription Drug Coverage
Part D premiums, deductibles, and prescription copays vary by plan. For an Arizona comparison, use your ZIP code, exact medications, and preferred pharmacy. Compare the estimated full-year premium plus covered prescription costs instead of assuming the lowest-premium plan is the least expensive overall. Any Part D income-related surcharge is separate from the plan premium.
For 2026, the annual out-of-pocket threshold for covered Part D prescription drugs is $2,100. The $2,000 threshold applied in 2025. Once your qualifying out-of-pocket spending reaches the 2026 threshold, you pay $0 for covered Part D drugs for the rest of the calendar year. Premiums, drugs the plan does not cover, and medications covered under Part B are not included in this Part D limit. Source: Medicare 2026 drug costs.
Medicare Advantage: The All-in-One Option
Medicare Advantage is an alternative way to receive your Part A and Part B benefits through a private plan. Most plans also include Part D prescription coverage, and some offer dental, vision, or hearing benefits. A plan may have a $0 additional premium, but you generally still pay the Part B premium. Available plans and benefits depend on your service area and the coverage year. Compare Original Medicare and Medicare Advantage.
Network rules, referrals, copays, and coinsurance depend on the Medicare Advantage plan. Each plan has an annual out-of-pocket limit for covered Medicare medical services; some distinguish in-network costs from combined in- and out-of-network costs. Check the specific plan documents instead of relying on a statewide price range. Premiums and Part D drug costs are separate from that medical limit.
Medicare Supplement: Predictable Costs
A Medicare Supplement (Medigap) policy helps pay certain costs left by Original Medicare. Premiums vary by insurer, policy, age, location, rating method, and other eligibility factors, so request a current quote rather than relying on a generic Arizona range. Most Medigap policies let you use any provider nationwide who accepts Medicare; Medicare SELECT policies have additional network requirements. Prescription drug coverage is generally purchased separately.
For a standard Plan G policy, the $283 Part B deductible in 2026 remains your responsibility, while the policy pays its specified share of other Medicare-covered costs. That does not mean every healthcare expense is covered: premiums, prescription drugs, routine dental care, and other services Medicare does not cover require separate consideration. High-deductible Plan G has a different deductible structure. Source: Medicare’s Medigap benefit comparison.
So What’s the Total?
For Arizona residents comparing coverage in 2026, calculate the total using actual plan quotes and your own care needs. Reviewing next year’s changes? Start with the Arizona Annual Notice of Change checklist for 2027 coverage; the 2026 cost figures on this page should not be treated as 2027 estimates.
Medicare Advantage route: Add your Part B premium, any plan premium, and any income-related surcharges, then estimate your medical and prescription costs. For example, someone paying the standard 2026 Part B premium with a $0-premium Advantage plan starts at $202.90 per month before copays and other costs. This is an illustration, not a plan quote.
Original Medicare plus a supplement: Add your actual Part B premium, Medigap premium, standalone Part D premium, and any income-related surcharges. Then include the deductibles and other costs your policies leave to you. Your medications, policy, and eligibility determine the total; there is no single price that applies to everyone in Arizona.
Neither option is universally better — it depends on your health, your doctors, your medications, …
Why Working With a Local Medicare Broker in Mesa Beats Calling a 1-800 Number
Every fall, the TV ads start rolling in. Medicare commercials featuring celebrities telling you to call a toll-free number to find out about amazing benefits you might be missing. The phones ring off the hook at national call centers where agents you will never meet try to enroll you in a plan as fast as possible.
I am not going to tell you those agents are bad people. But I am going to explain why working with a local Medicare broker gives you a completely different experience and usually a better result.
You Get Someone Who Knows Arizona
Medicare is not the same everywhere. The plans available in Mesa are different from the plans available in Tucson or Phoenix or Flagstaff. Provider networks vary by zip code. The carriers that offer the best value in the East Valley might not even operate in other parts of the state.
When you call a national hotline, the person on the other end may be sitting in another state. They are reading off a screen. They do not know which hospitals are nearby, which medical groups dominate the East Valley, or which plans have the strongest local networks. A local broker does.
You Get Personalized Advice, Not a Sales Script
National call centers have one goal: enroll you in a plan before you hang up. The agents are often incentivized to push specific plans, and the call is designed to move fast. There is not a lot of room for nuance or questions.
When you sit down with a local broker, the conversation is different. I ask about your doctors, your medications, your budget (here is my full checklist), and how you use healthcare. Then I run a comparison of every plan available in your zip code and walk you through the options. There is no rush. If you want to think about it and call me back next week, that is fine.
You Get More Options
Some national hotlines only represent a few insurance companies. They can only show you the plans from the carriers they work with, which means you might be missing better options. An independent broker like me works with multiple carriers including Aetna, UnitedHealthcare, Humana, Cigna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Mutual of Omaha, and Devoted Health. I can show you everything that is available, not just a curated list.
You Get a Real Person Who Answers the Phone
This is the part my clients value the most. After you enroll in a plan, the national call center agent moves on to the next call. If you have a question about a bill three months later, you are calling a general customer service number and starting from scratch.
When you work with me, you have my direct phone number. When you call, you get me. I know your name, I know your plan, and I know your situation. If something goes wrong with a claim or you need to understand a bill, I can help you sort it out. That ongoing relationship is something a 1-800 number simply cannot offer.
It Costs You Nothing Extra
This is the part that surprises most people. Working with a broker does not cost you anything. The premiums are exactly the same whether you enroll through a broker, through a call center, or directly with the insurance company. Brokers are paid a commission by the carrier, not by you. There is no markup, no hidden fee, and no catch.
So you get personalized local expertise, access to more plan options, and a real person who is there for you after enrollment, all at the same price as going it alone.
Ready to Skip the 1-800 Number?
If you are in Mesa, Gilbert, Chandler, Tempe, Scottsdale, or anywhere in the East Valley, I would love to help you with your Medicare decisions. I have been doing this for 7 years and I still answer my own phone.
Call me at 480-296-5804 or request a free plan review. Let me show you what a real local broker can do.