How to Compare Medicare Plans on Medicare.gov

What You'll Find on Medicare.gov's Plan Comparison Tool

Medicare.gov has a built-in tool that shows you side-by-side information about Medicare Advantage plans, Medigap policies, and Part D prescription drug plans available in your area. You enter your zip code, the medications you take, and the doctors you see, and the tool displays plans ranked by cost and coverage. This is the fastest way to see what's actually available to you — not what's available somewhere else — because plan offerings change by county every year.

The comparison tool does not make recommendations or tell you which plan is "best." It shows you the numbers so you can decide what matters most to your situation: the lowest monthly premium, the lowest out-of-pocket maximum, coverage for a specific medication, or access to a particular doctor or hospital.

Key Takeaways

• Medicare.gov's plan comparison tool requires your zip code, current medications, and preferred doctors to show plans actually available to you.
• You can compare costs side by side: monthly premiums, deductibles, copays for specific services, and annual out-of-pocket limits.
• The tool shows whether your medications are covered and at what tier (cost level), and whether your doctors are in-network for each plan.
• You can save plan comparisons to review later, and the tool updates yearly when plans change their costs and coverage.

How to Start a Comparison on Medicare.gov

Go to Medicare.gov and look for the "Find Care Providers and Suppliers" or "Compare Medicare Plans" section — the exact link location changes, but searching the site for "compare plans" will take you there. You will need your zip code to begin. The tool will ask whether you want to compare Medicare Advantage plans, Medigap policies, Part D drug plans, or all three together.

If you are comparing Medicare Advantage or Medigap, you will enter your date of birth and whether you have End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD), because these factors affect which plans you can choose. For any plan type, you can enter your current medications and your doctors' names. The tool will then show you plans ranked by monthly cost, with tabs to view other details.

Entering Your Medications to See Real Costs

Adding your medications is the step that changes the numbers most. When you enter a drug name, the tool shows you which plans cover it, at what tier (tier 1 is usually cheapest, tier 5 is usually most expensive), and what your copay or coinsurance would be under that plan. If a plan does not cover your medication at all, the tool will flag that.

Type the medication name as it appears on your bottle — the generic name works, but brand names do too. If you take multiple medications, add them all. The tool will then recalculate each plan's total yearly cost including your drug costs, not just the premium. This total cost is usually the most useful number for comparing, because a plan with a low premium might have high drug costs that offset the savings.

Checking Whether Your Doctors Are In-Network

For Medicare Advantage plans, in-network status matters because out-of-network care usually costs much more. Enter your primary care doctor's name, and the tool will show you which plans include that doctor. You can also search for specialists, hospitals, or urgent care centers by name or location.

If your doctor is not listed, that does not always mean the plan does not cover them — the directory may be incomplete. Write down the plan name and call the plan's customer service number (on the plan's details page) to confirm. This is especially important if you see a specialist regularly, because losing access to that doctor can be costly or disruptive.

Understanding the Cost Columns

The comparison shows several cost numbers for each plan. Monthly premium is what you pay the plan every month whether you use care or not. Deductible is the amount you pay out of pocket before the plan starts to pay. Copay is a fixed dollar amount you pay for a specific service (like $25 for a doctor visit). Coinsurance is a percentage of the cost you pay (like 20% of a hospital stay).

Out-of-pocket maximum is the most important number for comparing plans overall. Once you reach this limit in a year, the plan pays 100% of covered services for the rest of that year. Plans with higher premiums often have lower out-of-pocket maximums, and plans with lower premiums often have higher out-of-pocket maximums. The tool can calculate your estimated yearly cost based on your medications and typical doctor visits, which helps you see the real trade-off.

Saving and Revisiting Your Comparisons

You can save a comparison by creating a free Medicare.gov account. This lets you come back to the same comparison later without re-entering your information. You can also print or download a comparison as a PDF to share with a family member or to review before making a choice.

Plans change every year on January 1, so a comparison you saved in September will not reflect January's new costs and coverage. When open enrollment begins in October, run a fresh comparison using the current year's plans. The tool will show you side by side how your current plan's costs are changing and how new plans compare.

What the Tool Does Not Show

The comparison tool shows costs and coverage, but it does not show customer service ratings, complaint histories, or how quickly the plan processes claims. You can find that information in the "Plan Details" or "Ratings" section on Medicare.gov for each plan, which pulls data from member surveys and complaint records. Some people weight this heavily — a plan with slightly higher costs but much better ratings might be worth it.

The tool also does not show whether a plan covers dental, vision, or hearing care, though many Medicare Advantage plans do. You have to click into each plan's full details to see what supplemental benefits it offers. If these services matter to you, check the plan details page before deciding.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I have to use Medicare.gov to compare plans, or can I use other websites?

You can use other comparison sites, but Medicare.gov is the official source and shows all plans available in your area. Other sites may show only some plans or may not update as quickly. Starting on Medicare.gov ensures you are seeing complete information.

What if my doctor is not showing up in the search?

The plan directories on Medicare.gov are not always current. If your doctor does not appear, note the plan name and call the plan's customer service number to ask whether they are in-network. Have your doctor's full name and phone number ready.

Can I compare plans for someone else, like a parent?

Yes, you can run a comparison using their zip code, medications, and doctors without creating an account. If you want to save the comparison, you will need to create an account, but you can use any email address — it does not have to be the person's own email.

If I find a plan I like, how do I sign up?

The comparison tool shows plan information only. To sign up, you contact the plan directly by phone or through the plan's website, or you can enroll through Medicare.gov itself during open enrollment (October 15 to December 7 each year). The plan details page has enrollment instructions.

How often should I re-run this comparison?

Run a fresh comparison every October when the new year's plans are available, even if you are happy with your current plan. Costs and coverage change yearly, and a plan that was best last year might not be best this year.