Question 1

How much does Medicare cost in 2026?

Accepted Answer

For the 2026 plan year, the standard Medicare Part B premium is $202.90 per month and the Part B deductible is $283 per year. Part A is premium free for most people, with a hospital deductible of $1,736 per benefit period, and Part D prescription costs are capped at $2,100 out of pocket for the year.

Question 2

When can I change my Medicare plan?

Accepted Answer

The main window is the Annual Enrollment Period, October 15 to December 7 each year, when anyone with Medicare can switch Medicare Advantage or Part D plans for coverage starting January 1. If you are already on a Medicare Advantage plan you get a second window, the Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period, from January 1 to March 31.

Question 3

What is the difference between Medicare Advantage and Medigap?

Accepted Answer

Medicare Advantage replaces Original Medicare with a private plan that bundles your coverage, usually including drugs, with a provider network and copays. Medigap does the opposite: it keeps Original Medicare in place and pays the share Medicare leaves behind, works with any provider who accepts Medicare, and does not include drug coverage.

Question 4

Does a Medicare agent cost anything?

Accepted Answer

No. A licensed Medicare agent costs you nothing, and your premium is exactly the same whether you enroll through an agent, directly with the insurance company, or on Medicare.gov. Agents are paid a commission by the insurance carrier, not by you, and that commission is already built into the filed plan price.

Question 5

What is the Idaho Medicare birthday rule?

Accepted Answer

Idaho’s birthday rule gives Medigap policyholders an annual window around their birthday to switch to another Medigap policy with equal or lesser benefits, from any carrier, without answering health questions. The window runs roughly 63 days, and the state adopted the rule in March 2022.

Question 6

Do I need Part D if I do not take any medications?

Accepted Answer

Usually yes, because Part D is priced as insurance against future prescriptions rather than current ones, and skipping it without other creditable drug coverage triggers a late enrollment penalty that is added to your premium for as long as you have Part D. The penalty is 1 percent of the national base beneficiary premium for each month you went without coverage.

Question 7

What happens if I miss my Medicare enrollment window?

Accepted Answer

You may wait months for coverage to start and pay a penalty that lasts as long as you have Medicare. The Part B late enrollment penalty adds 10 percent to your premium for each full 12 month period you could have had Part B and did not, and the Part D penalty adds 1 percent of the national base beneficiary premium for each month without creditable drug coverage.

Question 8

Can I keep my doctor with Medicare Advantage?

Accepted Answer

Only if that doctor is in the specific plan’s network, which has to be checked plan by plan and year by year. Medicare Advantage plans use provider networks, so two plans from the same insurance company, or the same plan in a different year, can cover different doctors.

Question 9

Do I need Medicare if I am still working at 65?

Accepted Answer

It depends on the size of the employer. If your employer has 20 or more employees, the group plan generally pays first and you can delay Part B without penalty. If the employer has fewer than 20 employees, Medicare usually pays first and delaying Part B can leave you with claims your group plan will not cover.

Question 10

Where do I buy health insurance in Idaho if I am under 65?

Accepted Answer

Through Your Health Idaho, the state’s own health insurance exchange. Idaho runs a state based marketplace rather than using HealthCare.gov, so Idahoans enroll in individual and family plans, and claim premium tax credits, at yourhealthidaho.org.

Question 11

What should I bring to a Medicare appointment?

Accepted Answer

Bring your Medicare card or the date your Part A and Part B start, a complete list of your prescriptions with doses, the names of the doctors and clinics you want to keep, your preferred pharmacy, and any current plan documents. With those five things a full comparison usually takes one conversation.

Question 12

When is open enrollment for Your Health Idaho for 2027 coverage?

Accepted Answer

Open enrollment for 2027 Your Health Idaho coverage runs from October 15 to December 15, 2026, and plans you pick in that window start January 1, 2027. Personal Touch compares the plans with you and enrolls you on Your Health Idaho, at no cost to you.

Question 13

Why work with Personal Touch instead of calling a big call center?

Accepted Answer

Because you get the same people every year. Personal Touch is an independent Idaho agency that has compared plans for Idahoans since 2005. CarrieAnne and her team know your history, compare the plans we represent across six comparison areas, and are still here when a claim, a bill or a plan change comes up. It costs you nothing.

Question 14

Do I need to sign a Scope of Appointment before we talk about plans?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Medicare rules require a Scope of Appointment to be agreed and recorded before an agent discusses specific Medicare Advantage or drug plans with you, and it must be in writing for an in-person meeting. Personal Touch sends you a short electronic form. It only lists the plan types you want to talk about and does not enroll you in anything.

Question 15

Do you meet in person, or only by Zoom and phone?

Accepted Answer

Both. Personal Touch meets clients by Zoom or phone anywhere in Idaho, and in person at our Idaho City office by appointment. We do not make home visits, and our Boise address on Federal Way is for mail only.

Question 16

Can Personal Touch help me if I don't have a computer?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Call or text 208-350-9933 and we will fill out the plan review survey with you over the phone, read the plan comparison to you, and handle anything that needs a signature by mail or a simple phone link. No computer, email or internet account is required.

Question 17

How much does Xarelto cost with Medicare in Idaho in 2027?

Accepted Answer

Xarelto has no Medicare negotiated price in 2027, so your plan sets the cost: its price up to the $700 deductible, then 25%, with a $2,400 yearly cap.

Question 18

How much does Januvia cost with Medicare in Idaho in 2027?

Accepted Answer

Januvia has a Medicare negotiated price of $116.06 for a 30-day supply in 2027. On the 2027 standard benefit, 12 monthly fills cost about $873 a year.

Question 19

How much does Farxiga cost with Medicare in Idaho in 2027?

Accepted Answer

Farxiga has a Medicare negotiated price of $183.33 for a 30-day supply in 2027. On the 2027 standard benefit, 12 monthly fills cost about $1,075 a year.

Medicare Answers for Idaho

Medicare Basics