Medicare Plans in Jacksonville, FL
Original Medicare, Medicare Advantage, Medicare Supplements and Part D can be confusing. We break it down so you choose coverage that fits your doctors, your prescriptions and your budget.
What we help with
- Understand Parts A, B, C and D — and how they work together
- Compare Advantage vs. Supplement (Medigap) plans side by side
- Review Part D drug coverage against your prescriptions
- Navigate enrollment periods so you avoid costly penalties
- Get a free annual check-up to confirm your plan still fits
Medicare has four parts (A, B, C, D). Most people pair Original Medicare (A+B) with either a Medicare Advantage plan (Part C) or a Medicare Supplement (Medigap) plus a standalone Part D drug plan. We compare the options against your doctors, drugs and budget at no cost.
The parts of Medicare, in plain language
Medicare is federal health coverage for people 65+ and some younger people with qualifying conditions. Part A covers hospital stays, Part B covers doctors and outpatient care, Part C (Medicare Advantage) bundles A and B (usually with drug coverage) through a private plan, and Part D covers prescription drugs. Most people get Part A premium-free; Part B has a standard monthly premium set each year by CMS.
Medicare Advantage vs. Medigap — the real trade-off
A Medicare Advantage plan often has low or $0 premiums and extra benefits, but you use a network and pay copays as you go, up to a yearly out-of-pocket maximum. A Medicare Supplement (Medigap) plan costs more in monthly premium but covers most of what Original Medicare leaves behind, with the freedom to see any provider that accepts Medicare. The right answer depends on your doctors, prescriptions, travel and how predictable you want your costs to be — not on which plan pays the agent more.
Timing matters — enrollment windows
Your Initial Enrollment Period runs for seven months around your 65th birthday. The Annual Enrollment Period (Oct 15 – Dec 7) lets most people change coverage for the following year, and Special Enrollment Periods open after certain life events. Missing your window can mean lifelong late-enrollment penalties on Part B and Part D — we help you enroll on time and avoid them.
What Medicare costs in 2026
It helps to know the real numbers. In 2026, the standard Part B premium is $202.90 a month and the Part B deductible is $283. The Part A hospital deductible is $1,736 per benefit period. Original Medicare also leaves you paying 20% of most Part B services with no annual cap — which is exactly the gap that a Medicare Advantage plan or a Medigap policy is designed to fill. Higher earners pay an income-related surcharge (IRMAA) on top of the standard premiums, based on their tax return from two years earlier.
The 2026 Part D drug cap changes everything
One of the biggest recent improvements is the hard cap on out-of-pocket prescription costs. Thanks to the Inflation Reduction Act, Part D now caps what you pay for covered drugs at $2,100 in 2026 — after which covered prescriptions cost you nothing for the rest of the year. The old “donut hole” coverage gap is gone, insulin is capped at $35 a month, and recommended vaccines are free. For anyone with significant drug costs, this is a major change in your favor.
Extra Help for limited incomes
If your income and resources are limited, you may qualify for the Part D Low-Income Subsidy — known as Extra Help — which dramatically lowers your drug plan premiums, deductibles and copays. Recent expansions mean more people now qualify for the full benefit. Many who are eligible never apply simply because they do not know it exists. If money is tight, checking your eligibility is one of the first things we do.
How we compare your options
Choosing well is not about picking the plan with the flashiest ad — it is about matching a plan to your doctors, your prescriptions and your budget. We confirm your providers are in-network, run your exact medications against each plan’s formulary, compare total expected cost across a healthy year and a heavy-care year, and explain the trade-offs in plain language. Then we review it all again every fall, because plans change their premiums, drug lists and networks each year.
Why a local independent agent
As an independent agency based in Jacksonville, we work for you, not for one insurance company. We compare Advantage and Medigap options across the carriers we represent, answer our own phones, and stay with you long after enrollment. Our help costs you nothing — we are compensated by the carrier only if you choose to enroll — and because we are independent, our advice stays focused on the right fit rather than a sales quota.
This page is general education, not legal, tax, investment or insurance advice. Plans, benefits, premiums and availability vary by insurer and state and are subject to underwriting and policy terms. McDowell Business Resources (MBR Insurance & Financial Services) is an independent agency, not an insurance carrier.
Medicare — frequently asked
Not sure if medicare is right for you?
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