This is the question we hear most from Boise County clients, and for good reason: it is the one choice that is hard to undo. Our Learning Center guide and our statewide comparison explain how the two work in general. This post is about the Boise County version: the actual 2027 plans sold here, what changed, and the questions that tip the decision one way or the other.
The Short Version
- Medicare Advantage replaces Original Medicare with a private plan. Most have a network, many have a $0 premium, most include drug coverage, and every one caps your in-network costs for the year. The plan, its network and its costs can change every January.
- Medigap sits next to Original Medicare and pays most of what Medicare leaves behind. You pay a monthly premium, add a separate Part D plan, and can see any doctor or hospital in the country that accepts Medicare. A Medigap policy is guaranteed renewable as long as you pay the premium (Medicare.gov, Choosing a Medigap Policy).
Both are good answers for the right person. The wrong one is the one picked without checking your own doctors.
Medicare Advantage in Boise County for 2027
CMS lists 14 Medicare Advantage plans for Boise County in 2027, not counting Special Needs Plans: 8 from Humana, 4 from Blue Cross of Idaho, 2 from UnitedHealthcare. 10 have a $0 Part C premium and 9 include drug coverage (CMS 2027 Landscape file). The plan most Boise County members are in today is True Blue Rx 33 (HMO) from Blue Cross of Idaho, with at least 387 of the 703 or more people enrolled in these plan IDs as of October 2026 (CMS monthly enrollment, October 2026).
The number that matters most for a Medicare Advantage plan is not the premium. It is the out-of-pocket maximum: the most you would pay for covered in-network care in a bad year. Here is every Boise County plan, sorted by that cap.
| Plan | Type | Part C premium | In-network out-of-pocket max | Drug coverage | 2027 CMS stars |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| True Blue Valor (HMO) Blue Cross of Idaho | HMO | $34 | $3,000 | No | 3.0 of 5 |
| Humana USAA Honor Giveback (PPO) Humana | PPO | $0 | $5,100 | No | 4.0 of 5 |
| Secure Blue Courage (PPO) Blue Cross of Idaho | PPO | $0 | $5,200 | No | Not rated |
| Humana Full Access (PPO) Humana | PPO | $0 | $5,900 | Yes | 4.5 of 5 |
| True Blue Rx 32PSP (HMO) Blue Cross of Idaho | HMO | $0.10 | $5,900 | Yes | 3.0 of 5 |
| True Blue Rx 33 (HMO) Blue Cross of Idaho | HMO | $64 | $5,900 | Yes | 3.0 of 5 |
| AARP Medicare Advantage from UHC ID-0005 (HMO-POS) UnitedHealthcare | HMO-POS | $1 | $6,300 | Yes | 4.0 of 5 |
| Humana Gold Plus H2486-005 (HMO) Humana | HMO | $0 | $6,520 | Yes | 4.0 of 5 |
| Humana Total Complete (HMO) Humana | HMO | $0 | $6,660 | Yes | 4.0 of 5 |
| AARP Medicare Advantage Patriot No Rx ID-MA01 (HMO-POS) UnitedHealthcare | HMO-POS | $0 | $6,700 | No | 4.0 of 5 |
| HumanaChoice H5216-048 (PPO) Humana | PPO | $0 | $7,000 | Yes | 4.0 of 5 |
| Humana Value Choice (PPO) Humana | PPO | $0 | $7,000 | Yes | 4.0 of 5 |
| Humana Value Choice (PPO) Humana | PPO | $0 | $7,150 | Yes | 4.5 of 5 |
| Humana USAA Honor Giveback (PPO) Humana | PPO | $0 | $9,150 | No | 4.0 of 5 |
Source: CMS CY2027 Medicare Advantage and Part D Landscape file (202610), Boise County, Special Needs Plans excluded, accessed October 30, 2026. Listing a plan here does not mean Personal Touch represents it.
Read the table both ways. A $0 premium plan with a $9,150 cap can cost far more in a year with a surgery than a plan with a premium and a lower cap. And the average cap across Boise County plans is $6,249, which is a real number to plan for if your health is changing.
Networks are the other half. 7 of these plans are PPOs, which pay something out of network; the HMO plans generally do not, except in an emergency. If your doctors are split between Boise County and Ada County, or you spend part of the year outside Idaho, that difference matters more than any premium. Our answer on keeping your doctor with Medicare Advantage explains how we check.
Plans That Ended in Boise County for 2027
Medicare Advantage plans are one-year contracts, and Boise County saw that plainly this fall. Five Medicare Advantage plans with drug coverage that were sold here in 2026 end for 2027 with no replacement plan, according to the CMS 2027 plan crosswalk.
| Plan ID | 2026 plan | Carrier | 2027 status |
|---|---|---|---|
| H3828-001 | Saint Alphonsus Health Plan Choice (PPO) | Saint Alphonsus Health Plan | Ends, no successor plan |
| H6910-001 | Saint Alphonsus Health Plan No Premium (HMO) | Saint Alphonsus Health Plan | Ends, no successor plan |
| H6910-005 | Saint Alphonsus Health Plan Cash Back (HMO) | Saint Alphonsus Health Plan | Ends, no successor plan |
| H3864-024 | PacificSource Medicare MyCare Choice Rx 24 (HMO-POS) | PacificSource Medicare | Ends, no successor plan |
| H5216-429 | Humana Essentials Plus Giveback H5216-429 (PPO) | Humana | Ends, no successor plan |
Sources: CMS 2027 Part C and D Plan Crosswalk and CMS CY2026 Landscape file, accessed October 30, 2026.
Saint Alphonsus Health Plan stands out: all three of its Boise County plans end, and the CMS 2027 Landscape file lists no Saint Alphonsus Health Plan plans anywhere in Idaho. If you are in one of these plans, you need a new plan for January 1, 2027, and the Annual Enrollment Period ends December 7, 2026. Call us and we will sort out your options.
This is the trade at the heart of the decision. A Medicare Advantage plan can end or change every year. A Medigap policy keeps renewing as long as you pay. Neither is wrong, but you should choose knowing which one you are signing up for.
Medigap in Boise County
Medigap plans are standardized, so a Plan G from one company covers the same things as a Plan G from another. What differs is the price, and prices vary by company and by how each one rates, so we quote the companies we represent for your age and ZIP code rather than guess. Our Plan G vs Plan N guide walks through the two most popular letters.
With Medigap you add a standalone Part D plan. Idaho has 8 of them for 2027, with premiums from $5.30 to $238 a month, and the standard Part D deductible is $700 (CMS 2027 Landscape file). If you want a lower Medigap premium and can handle a deductible, high-deductible Plan G carries a deductible of $3,050 in 2027 (CMS CY2027 Medigap high-deductible options).
Where Medigap shines for Boise County residents is freedom: there is no network, so a specialist in Boise, a surgeon out of state and your doctor at home are all covered the same way, as long as they accept Medicare (Medicare.gov, Choosing a Medigap Policy). The 2027 Part B premium and deductible are still pending from CMS, so we will finish that part of your yearly total once they are published in mid-November.
Idaho Switching Rules You Need to Know
- Your Medigap open enrollment period is six months long and starts the first month you have Part B and are 65 or older. It happens once and does not repeat (Medicare.gov, Choosing a Medigap Policy). This is the time to buy Medigap if you think you will ever want it.
- Idaho's birthday rule lets people who already have a Medigap policy change plans on a guaranteed issue basis during a 63-day period that begins on their birthday each year (Idaho Department of Insurance, Bulletin 21-04). Our answer on the Idaho birthday rule has the details.
- Moving from Medicare Advantage to Medigap later is the hard direction. Unless you have a guaranteed issue right, a Medigap company can use medical underwriting and decline you (Medicare.gov, Choosing a Medigap Policy). The birthday rule does not help, because you would not have a Medigap policy yet.
How to Decide
CarrieAnne breaks this decision into comparison areas, and these are the ones that tip it in Boise County:
- Your doctors. List every doctor, clinic and hospital you use, in Boise County and the Treasure Valley. If even one is out of network for the Advantage plans here, Medigap moves up.
- Your prescriptions. We price your list in each Advantage plan and in the standalone Part D plans. Sometimes the drug cost decides it outright.
- Monthly cost versus worst-case year. Advantage usually wins on monthly cost. Medigap usually wins on the bad year. Which one would keep you up at night?
- Time away from Idaho. Medigap works anywhere in the country with a provider who accepts Medicare. Most Advantage plans here are built around Idaho networks.
- Your health today. If you are healthy and new to Medicare, your Medigap window is open now. Later, health questions can apply.
- Your appetite for change. Advantage means checking your plan every fall. Medigap means fewer surprises and a higher premium.
We will lay those out for you with real numbers from the plans we represent, by Zoom, by phone or in person at our Idaho City office by appointment. There is no charge for our time. Call or text 208-350-9933.
Not sure which path fits?
Send us your doctors and prescriptions. We price Medicare Advantage and Medigap side by side with the plans we represent and tell you plainly which one fits.
Call or text 208-350-9933 Send us a messageFrequently Asked Questions
Is Medicare Advantage or Medigap better in Boise County?
Neither is better for everyone. Medicare Advantage trades a network and yearly plan changes for low or $0 premiums and a yearly out-of-pocket cap. Medigap costs more each month but works with any doctor in the country who takes Medicare. Your doctors, prescriptions and budget decide it, and we lay those side by side for you.
How many Medicare Advantage plans can I choose from in Boise County for 2027?
14, not counting Special Needs Plans, from 3 carriers (CMS 2027 Landscape file). In-network out-of-pocket maximums run from $3,000 to $9,150.
Is Saint Alphonsus Health Plan still offering Medicare Advantage in Boise County for 2027?
No. CMS shows all three Saint Alphonsus Health Plan Medicare Advantage plans sold in Boise County in 2026 as ending for 2027, and the 2027 Landscape file lists no Saint Alphonsus Health Plan plans anywhere in Idaho. If you are in one of those plans, call us before December 7, 2026.
Can I switch from Medicare Advantage to Medigap later in Idaho?
Sometimes, but it is not guaranteed. Outside your first Medigap open enrollment period or another guaranteed issue right, a Medigap company can ask health questions and decline you. Idaho's birthday rule only helps people who already have a Medigap policy.
Does Personal Touch sell both Medicare Advantage and Medigap?
Yes. We compare both paths with the plans and companies we represent, then show you the one that fits. There is no charge for our time. Call or text 208-350-9933.
Keep Reading
Sources
- CMS CY2027 Medicare Advantage and Part D Landscape file (202610), Boise County plans, accessed October 30, 2026
- CMS CY2026 Medicare Advantage and Part D Landscape file (202509), accessed October 30, 2026
- CMS 2027 Part C and D Plan Crosswalk, accessed October 30, 2026
- CMS Monthly Enrollment by Contract, Plan, State and County, October 2026, accessed October 30, 2026
- CMS, CY2027 Medigap high-deductible options (Plans F, G and J), accessed October 30, 2026
- Medicare.gov, Choosing a Medigap Policy (guide), accessed October 30, 2026
- Idaho Department of Insurance, Bulletin No. 21-04 (Medicare Supplement birthday enrollment period), accessed October 30, 2026
Figures are labelled with the year they apply to and were checked against the official sources above on the date shown. This page is general education, not individual advice. Personal Touch Ins. & Benefits, LLC is not connected with or endorsed by the U.S. government or the federal Medicare program.