Medicare Plan Finder is Medicare’s own comparison tool at Medicare.gov/plan-compare. Next year’s plans are in it now, and you have until December 7 to make a change that starts January 1. It takes about 20 minutes if you have your medicine list ready. Below are the seven steps, plus a separate path for people who got a letter saying their plan is ending.
This article is educational. Instant Health Help is a licensed health insurance agency, not Medicare or the government. We don’t rate or rank plans, and Plan Finder shows every plan Medicare lists for your ZIP code, not just the ones we offer.
First, which path are you on?
| If this is you | Your path | Deadline that matters |
|---|---|---|
| Your plan is continuing and you just want to check it | Path A: the 7-step compare below | December 7 |
| You got a letter saying your plan won’t be offered next year | Path B: “If your plan was discontinued” | December 7 for no gap; special window December 8 to the last day of February |
| You’re new to Medicare | Start with your sign-up window, then use the steps | Your own enrollment window |
Florida has fewer Medicare Advantage plans next year than this year (Miami Herald reporting), so more people than usual are on Path B this fall. If you’re not sure which letter you got, read the next section first.
What to have in front of you
- Your red, white and blue Medicare card (only if you plan to log in)
- Every medicine you take: name, strength, and how often
- Your usual pharmacy, plus a mail-order option if you use one
- Your doctors, specialists and the hospital you’d want to use
- Your plan’s Annual Notice of Change or any letter saying your plan is ending
- Whether you get Extra Help or Medicaid
Path A: Medicare Plan Finder in 7 steps
Step 1: Log in or continue as a guest
Go to Medicare.gov/plan-compare. Logging in with your Medicare account lets you save your drug list and see your current plan. You can also continue without logging in and just enter your ZIP code. Either way works for comparing.
Step 2: Enter your ZIP code and county
Plans are sold by county, and some Florida ZIP codes cross county lines. Pick the county where you actually live, not the one where you spend the summer.
Step 3: Choose the type of coverage
Plan Finder asks what you’re looking for: Medicare Advantage plans, drug plans to pair with Original Medicare, or Medigap policies. If you’re not sure which way to go, our guide on Original Medicare vs. Medicare Advantage explains the trade-offs.
Step 4: Tell it if you get help with costs
Answer the question about Extra Help, Medicaid, or a Medicare Savings Program. It changes the drug costs Plan Finder estimates for you. Not sure if you qualify? See Extra Help for Medicare drug costs.
Step 5: Add every drug and your pharmacy
This is the step people rush, and it matters most. Enter each medicine with the right strength and how often you take it, then pick your pharmacy. A plan can look fine until one medicine isn’t on its list or your pharmacy isn’t preferred.
Step 6: Sort, filter, and pick up to three to compare
Sort by estimated total drug and premium costs, then use the filters (plan type, extra benefits, star rating). Check the box on up to three plans and compare them side by side. Medicare shows star ratings in the tool; we don’t add our own.
Step 7: Check your doctors before you decide
Plan Finder shows the plan’s network type, but always confirm your doctors and hospital with the plan’s directory or a phone call to the office. Our doctor network check has a short script you can use. Then write down your first choice and enroll by December 7, either in Plan Finder, with the plan, or with a licensed agent.
Path B: If your plan was discontinued
If your plan sent a letter saying it won’t be offered next year (sometimes called a non-renewal notice), here’s what that means:
- Keep the letter. It’s your proof that your plan is ending, and you may need it.
- Pick a new plan by December 7 if you want it to start January 1 with no gap. Use the 7 steps above.
- You have extra time if you need it. When a plan’s contract with Medicare isn’t renewed, Medicare gives you a special enrollment period from December 8 to the last day of February.
- Doing nothing has a cost. If you don’t join another Medicare Advantage plan, Medicare says you’ll be enrolled in Original Medicare when your plan ends. That doesn’t include a drug plan, so join one or you may go without drug coverage.
- Ask about a Medicare Supplement. When a Medicare Advantage plan leaves your area, you may have a right to buy certain Supplement policies without health questions. Timing matters, so ask before your coverage ends.
Our full guide, What to do if your Medicare Advantage plan is ending in Florida, walks through each of these.
Mistakes we see in Plan Finder
- Entering a brand name when you take the generic, or the wrong strength
- Comparing with one pharmacy, then filling prescriptions somewhere else
- Choosing by premium alone without looking at drug costs and doctors
- Checking the winter county when you live most of the year somewhere else
- Waiting until December 7 and not having time to call your doctors
Questions people ask about Medicare Plan Finder
Is Medicare Plan Finder the official Medicare website?
Yes. Plan Finder is part of Medicare.gov, run by Medicare. Be careful with lookalike sites and ads that ask for your Medicare number before showing you anything.
Do I have to log in to use Plan Finder?
No. You can continue as a guest with your ZIP code. Logging in lets you save your drug list and see your current plan.
Can I enroll in a plan through Plan Finder?
Yes, you can enroll online once you pick a plan. You can also call the plan, call 1-800-MEDICARE, or work with a licensed agent.
My plan was discontinued. Do I have to act by December 7?
To avoid a gap on January 1, yes. If you need more time, a special enrollment period runs from December 8 to the last day of February for plans whose contract isn’t renewed.
What happens if my Medicare Advantage plan ends and I do nothing?
Medicare says you’ll be enrolled in Original Medicare. That doesn’t include drug coverage, so you’d need to join a separate drug plan.
Does Plan Finder show the doctors in each plan?
It shows each plan’s network type, but you should confirm your doctors and hospital with the plan or the office before you enroll.
Want us to run the comparison with you?
Send us your medicine list and doctors, or bring your plan letter, and we’ll go through Plan Finder with you by phone or online, in English or Spanish. You make the decision. We help people with Medicare across Florida, including Fort Myers and Naples, where Medicare searches are up the most right now. Learn more about our Florida Medicare agent services.
Call (321) 315-0054 | agent@inshh.com
Prefer a slower walkthrough with more screenshots in mind? Our earlier Plan Finder prep guide covers the setup in more detail.
We do not offer every plan available in your area. Currently we represent 10 organizations which offer 489 products in your area. Please contact Medicare.gov or 1-800-MEDICARE to get information on all of your options.
1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227; TTY 1-877-486-2048) is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, except some federal holidays. Instant Health Help is not connected with or endorsed by the U.S. government or the federal Medicare program.
Serving people with Medicare across Florida, from Pensacola to Miami.