Medicare Annual Enrollment is coming… Get local help →

Newsroom

Blog & resources

Plain-English Medicare guidance and real local health data for New Mexico — written for the people we serve, not for search engines.

Latest article October 3, 2026 · Choosing a Plan · 22 min read

Can I Switch Medigap Plans When My Premium Goes Up? New Mexico 2027

Yes, but until now most New Mexicans had to pass health questions to do it: under federal law a Medigap company only has to accept you in your one-time six-month open enrollment or a guaranteed-issue situation. From January 1, 2027, Senate Bill 21 gives every Medigap policyholder 65 and older a 60-day window starting the first day of their birthday month to move to an equal-or-lesser plan at any company with no underwriting, and insurers must send notice 30 to 60 days ahead. Why premiums rise (attained-age vs. issue-age vs. community pricing, with CMS's examples), the three ways to switch without health questions, the 2027 window dates by birthday month, which plan moves qualify, CMS's shopping questions, the regulator's rate study, and how a Medigap policy fits the annual review.

Read the article →
October 3, 2026 · Choosing a Plan · 14 min read

Is CHRISTUS Health Plan Medicare Advantage Ending in New Mexico for 2027?

Yes. CHRISTUS Health Plan says its Medicare Advantage coverage ends December 31, 2026, and the CMS 2027 landscape file has no CHRISTUS plan in New Mexico. The two plans affected (Plus, with drug coverage, and Guardian, medical only) were sold in Santa Fe, Bernalillo, Sandoval, Los Alamos, Rio Arriba, San Miguel, Taos and Otero counties; nearly 9,000 members across Texas and New Mexico need 2027 coverage. CHRISTUS St. Vincent is not closing. What is left in each county for 2027 (Santa Fe keeps 18 general plans, Taos 5, Otero 2), the three doors, the Medigap window from November 1 to March 4, 2027, and the Rewards dollars deadline.

Read →
October 2, 2026 · Drug Coverage · 21 min read

Should I Switch My Medicare Part D Plan for 2027?

Only if the comparison says so — but run it. New Mexico has 10 stand-alone drug plans for 2027 (11 in 2026) and none has a $0 premium after five did in 2026; premiums run $5.30 to $151.10, deductibles $300 to $700, and by our count of CMS's landscape file only one plan sits at or below the Extra Help benchmark, down from four. CMS says 67.69% of New Mexicans in a stand-alone plan can find a lower premium than they paid in 2026. Why premiums rose (the stabilization demonstration ended; base premium $41.33), the seven signs a plan no longer fits, the drugs-pharmacy-total-cost comparison, what Extra Help members pay on each plan, why the January window does not apply to drug plans, and how we review a drug plan every autumn.

Read →
October 2, 2026 · Choosing a Plan · 20 min read

Presbyterian Plan Ending: Should I Enroll October 15 or Wait?

Enrolling on October 15 or on December 7 gives the same January 1, 2027 start and the same price — Medicare.gov says the plan must get your request by December 7 and the change takes effect January 1. What the date changes: what you know (2027 Star Ratings post on or around October 8, the Evidence of Coverage arrives by October 15), your room to change your mind (CMS says the last enrollment request made wins, and a request can be cancelled by contacting the plan), and the Medigap guaranteed-issue window, which opens 60 days before your plan ends on November 1, 2026 and closes 63 days after on March 4, 2027. Why nobody can enroll you before October 15, what happens with two enrollments, the December 8 – February 28 Special Enrollment Period and its gap, and a dated plan for a Presbyterian member.

Read →
October 1, 2026 · Choosing a Plan · 21 min read

Should I Use a Medicare Broker or Enroll Directly With the Plan?

Either way you pay the same premium and no fee — what differs is the list. Medicare.gov, 1-800-MEDICARE and New Mexico's SHIP counselors see every plan in your county (36 Medicare Advantage plans from 6 organizations in Bernalillo County for 2027); a plan's own representative sees one company's; an independent agent sees the plans they are contracted to sell, and we do not offer every plan. A four-channel table of what each can show, who can enroll you, who pays them and who answers in March; the rules that bind every agent; how Medigap differs; four questions to vet any agent; and how we work.

Read →
October 1, 2026 · Choosing a Plan · 19 min read

How to Use Medicare Plan Finder If Your Presbyterian Plan Is Ending

Go to Medicare.gov/plan-compare, add every prescription with its dose, the pharmacies you would use and the doctors you want to keep, then compare on estimated yearly cost — 2027 plans are on the site from October 1, 2026 and Star Ratings follow around October 8. A discontinued Presbyterian plan will not appear on the 2027 list; Dual Plus will. In Bernalillo County, 15 of the 36 plans CMS lists are Special Needs Plans to filter out unless you qualify. Logging in versus guest mode, CMS's own drug and pharmacy instructions, what Plan Finder cannot tell you, why nobody may enroll you before October 15, and who can walk you through it.

Read →
September 30, 2026 · Choosing a Plan · 17 min read

How Do I Compare Medicare Advantage Plans for 2027?

In a fixed order: your doctors, your prescriptions, total yearly cost, the out-of-pocket maximum, then extras. The premium is the least useful number — in Bernalillo County, 17 of the 21 general-enrollment plans CMS lists for 2027 have a $0 monthly plan premium, while their out-of-pocket maximums run from $3,800 to $8,000. What to gather first, where each answer is found, how HMO and PPO rules change the doctor check, what the maximum does and does not include, where Star Ratings fit, six steps on Medicare.gov Plan Finder, how we compare the plans we offer, and what goes wrong most often.

Read →
September 30, 2026 · Choosing a Plan · 17 min read

Medicare Advantage Plans in Albuquerque for 2027: What's Available?

CMS's 2027 plan file lists 36 Medicare Advantage plans in Bernalillo County, compared with 51 in 2026, from six organizations instead of eight. Twenty-one are open to any resident with Part A and Part B; the other 15 are Special Needs Plans that require Medicaid or a qualifying condition. Presbyterian lists one plan, Dual Plus. A count by organization, what changed in plan types, premiums, out-of-pocket maximums and drug deductibles, what a missing plan ID does and does not mean, whether Rio Rancho's list is the same, and what the list cannot tell you about your doctors and drugs.

Read →
September 29, 2026 · Choosing a Plan · 19 min read

Do I Need to Change My Medicare Plan Every Year?

No — if your plan is offered again and you do nothing, it renews on January 1. But it renews with next year's premium, drug list and network, which is why Medicare says to review it each fall. CMS counts 61 Medicare Advantage plans in New Mexico for 2027, compared with 73 in 2026; the Part D out-of-pocket cap moves from $2,100 to $2,400; and KFF found 69% of beneficiaries did not compare their options. What happens if you do nothing, a 2026-to-2027 table, what to check and in what order, how Medigap differs, who can review your plan at no cost, and how our yearly review works.

Read →
September 29, 2026 · Choosing a Plan · 22 min read

Is That Call About My Presbyterian Medicare Plan a Scam?

It can be real, and it can be a scam — the difference is who is calling. The plan you belong to may phone you, and so may an agent you already work with or asked to call. A stranger may not: federal rule 42 CFR 422.2264 bars cold calls, robocalls, texts, voicemail drops and uninvited visits, including calls based on a referral, and Medicare never calls to sell. Who is allowed to call, why the calls start October 1, how to confirm a call is from Presbyterian, eight things a legitimate agent must do, five steps for when the phone rings, what to do if you already gave out your Medicare number, and where to report a call in New Mexico.

Read →
September 28, 2026 · Medicare Basics · 22 min read

How Do Medicare Agents Get Paid in 2027? What It Costs You

The insurance company pays the agent; you pay no fee, and your premium is the same however you enroll. For 2027 CMS caps what a company may pay an independent agent at $725 for a first-year Medicare Advantage enrollment and $363 for each renewal year, and $130 and $65 for a stand-alone drug plan. What an agent is paid when you switch plans, why Medigap commissions follow state rules instead, what MedPAC says about incentives, who pays 1-800-MEDICARE and New Mexico's SHIP counselors, what CMS's file shows for Bernalillo County, how we are paid, and six questions to ask any agent.

Read →
September 28, 2026 · Choosing a Plan · 22 min read

Do I Need to Cancel My Presbyterian Medicare Advantage Plan?

No — there is nothing to cancel. A standard Presbyterian Medicare Advantage plan ends on its own after December 31, 2026, and joining a 2027 plan during October 15 – December 7 is what moves you; Medicare's systems end the old enrollment. Enrolling in October does not cut 2026 coverage short, Part B is the one thing never to cancel, and the last enrollment request you make is the one that counts. A four-path table, the ways people end coverage by accident, how to undo an enrollment before January 1, what happens to premium deductions, and the six calls that do need making.

Read →
September 25, 2026 · Choosing a Plan · 24 min read

Can I Change My Medicare Advantage Plan After December 7? New Mexico 2027

Yes — through three windows, not any time. The Presbyterian non-renewal Special Enrollment Period (December 8, 2026 – February 28, 2027), the Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period (January 1 – March 31, 2027, one change only) and the 5-star window. Every late change starts the first of the following month, the member who did nothing is in Original Medicare on January 1 with no drug plan, and the Medigap guaranteed-issue clock closes about March 4. A problem-to-fix table, what to do if an agent misled you, New Mexico's 2027 Medigap birthday rule, and the six-step December check that makes the second chances unnecessary.

Read →
September 24, 2026 · Choosing a Plan · 23 min read

Does My Prior Authorization Transfer to My New Medicare Plan in 2027?

Not automatically — the approval is one insurer's decision. But since 2024, federal rule 42 CFR 422.112(b)(8) requires a new Medicare Advantage plan to give you at least 90 days in which it must not disrupt or require reauthorization for an active course of treatment, even out of network; Original Medicare rarely requires prior authorization at all, and New Mexico is not in the WISeR model. What counts as an active course of treatment, what happens to a surgery scheduled for January, who pays if you are in the hospital on New Year's Eve (42 CFR 422.318), the 2024 denial and appeal numbers, and which 2026 extras to use before December 31.

Read →
September 24, 2026 · Choosing a Plan · 19 min read

Presbyterian Medicare Advantage Ending in Santa Fe: What Are My Options?

The same four options as everywhere else — another Medicare Advantage plan, Original Medicare with Part D, adding Medigap, or Dual Plus with Medicaid — answered for the county where 27.3% of residents are 65 or older and many still see a specialist in another state. Why CMS listed 46 plans for Santa Fe County and 51 for Bernalillo in 2026, why Presbyterian Santa Fe Medical Center and CHRISTUS St. Vincent are not going anywhere, which option keeps an out-of-state doctor, and what a recent move to Santa Fe changes.

Read →
September 21, 2026 · Choosing a Plan · 16 min read

Presbyterian Medicare Advantage Ending in Rio Rancho: Now What?

The same four options as Albuquerque — another Medicare Advantage plan, Original Medicare with Part D, adding Medigap, or Dual Plus with Medicaid — but a different map. Your Rio Rancho address picks the plan list; the provider directory decides whether your Albuquerque doctors come with it. Why CMS listed the same 51 plans in Sandoval and Bernalillo counties in 2026, why that is not a 2027 promise, how Rust Medical Center and UNM Sandoval Regional fit into Albuquerque hospital systems, and an eight-step two-county checklist.

Read →
September 21, 2026 · Medicare Basics · 21 min read

Does Medicare Cover You Out of State? New Mexico 2027

Original Medicare goes where you go — any provider in the U.S. that accepts Medicare, at the same deductible and 20% you pay at home. A Medicare Advantage plan is built around a service area, and only emergency care, out-of-area urgent care and out-of-area dialysis follow you everywhere. The 6-month absence limit, optional 12-month visitor programs, the Special Enrollment Period a move opens, prescriptions on the road, and the Medigap foreign travel benefit — plus the five questions to ask before choosing a 2027 plan.

Read →
September 18, 2026 · Medicare Basics · 19 min read

Does Medicare Cover Medical Equipment in New Mexico? 2026

Yes — Part B covers walkers, wheelchairs, hospital beds, oxygen and CPAP as durable medical equipment when a doctor orders them for your home. The 2026 $283 deductible and 20% share, the 13-month rule that makes rented equipment yours, why oxygen is the exception, why the supplier matters more than the item, and what a plan ending December 31, 2026 does to equipment already in your house.

Read →
September 16, 2026 · Choosing a Plan · 18 min read

Turned 65 in 2026 and Chose Presbyterian? Your Medigap Trial Right

If you joined Presbyterian Medicare Advantage when you were first eligible at 65, a federal trial right lets you return to Original Medicare within 12 months and buy any Medigap policy sold in New Mexico with no health questions — a wider choice than the Plan A, B, D or G that longtime members get when a plan leaves Medicare. Whether your original 6-month Medigap window is still open (Part B from July 2026 on: yes), what a mover or plan-switcher gets instead, the Part B start-month calendar, and the November 1 to March 4 application window.

Read →
September 16, 2026 · Medicare Basics · 24 min read

Does Medicare Cover Hospice Care in New Mexico? 2026 Costs

Yes — hospice is a Medicare Part A benefit with no deductible, and Medicare pays the agency a daily rate that covers the nurse, the aide, the medications, the equipment and the supplies. The two small costs that remain in 2026, why room and board is never covered, why the benefit does not expire at six months, the four levels of care most families are never told about, and why a 2027 plan change cannot take hospice away from you.

Read →
September 14, 2026 · Medicare Basics · 24 min read

Does Medicare Cover Cancer Treatment in New Mexico? 2026 Costs

Yes — but three different parts of Medicare pay for different pieces of the same illness, and Original Medicare on its own has no out-of-pocket ceiling. What Part A, Part B and Part D each cover in 2026, the 20% Part B coinsurance with no annual cap, the $2,100 Part D cap, why some cancer pills bill under Part B and others under Part D, what clinical trials cover, and CDC county data showing a 22-point spread in colorectal screening across New Mexico.

Read →
September 11, 2026 · Choosing a Plan · 18 min read

My Mom's Presbyterian Medicare Plan Is Ending: How Do I Help?

The letter came to her house; the phone call came to you. What an adult child can legally do for a parent whose Presbyterian Medicare Advantage plan ends December 31, 2026 — the two permission forms that make Medicare and the plan talk to you, when a power of attorney is needed to sign an enrollment, the one-page list to gather before comparing anything, and the dates that keep January 1 covered.

Read →
September 9, 2026 · Drug Coverage · 18 min read

New Medicare Plan Won't Cover My Prescription: What to Do

The pharmacy says "not covered" on January 3 — federal rules still require your new plan to give you a one-time 30-day transition fill of any drug you were already taking, at any point in the first 90 days, even if it is not on the formulary. What the rule covers, the 72-hour / 24-hour exception clock, the December checklist that keeps the fill in reserve, and the day-by-day sequence for a Presbyterian member in Albuquerque whose plan ends December 31, 2026.

Read →
September 8, 2026 · Choosing a Plan · 14 min read

Presbyterian Medicare Advantage Ending: Your Options in Albuquerque

There are exactly four doors when a Presbyterian Medicare Advantage plan ends December 31, 2026: another Medicare Advantage plan, Original Medicare with a Part D plan, Original Medicare with Part D and Medigap, or Dual Plus if you have Medicaid. What is behind each one for a Bernalillo County member, the six questions that decide between them, and the dates that keep every door open — including the 60-days-before / 63-days-after Medigap clock.

Read →
September 8, 2026 · Medicare Basics · 12 min read

Presbyterian Medicare Non-Renewal Letter: What It Means for 2027

Two letters are coming this fall and only one asks you to act. The non-renewal notice is dated October 2 by CMS rule, must state the end date, your enrollment windows and the last day to choose, and must enclose a Medigap fact sheet — keep it, because it documents your guaranteed-issue right. How to tell it from the ANOC, three things it does not mean, and the five things to do the week it arrives.

Read →
September 8, 2026 · Enrollment · 12 min read

Medicare Plan Discontinued: Do I Get a Special Enrollment Period?

Yes — CMS gives members of a non-renewing plan a Special Enrollment Period from December 8, 2026 through February 28, 2027. But a plan chosen in January starts February 1 and one chosen in February starts March 1, leaving a gap in Original Medicare with no drug coverage. The three clocks a discontinued plan starts, why the January–March window is not a backup, and a date-by-date calendar for a New Mexico member.

Read →
September 8, 2026 · Medicaid & D-SNP · 11 min read

Does Presbyterian Dual Plus Continue in 2027? Who Keeps Their Plan

Yes — Dual Plus (HMO D-SNP) continues for about 13,000 New Mexicans with both Medicare and Medicaid, while roughly 30,000 standard-plan members choose new coverage. Who keeps their plan, who does not, how the plan name on your ID card tells you which side you are on, the 3-month Special Enrollment Period if you lose Medicaid, and what Dual Plus members still need to check this fall.

Read →
September 7, 2026 · Choosing a Plan · 14 min read

Which Hospitals Take Medicare Advantage in Albuquerque?

It depends on the plan, not the hospital — each Medicare Advantage plan contracts with UNM, Lovelace and Presbyterian separately, so the same hospital can be in-network under one carrier and out-of-network under another. The eight Medicare-certified hospitals CMS lists in Albuquerque, how HMO/PPO/PFFS/SNP plans each treat an out-of-network hospital, why emergency care is the exception, and the three-step check before you enroll for 2027.

Read →
September 4, 2026 · Medicare Basics · 21 min read

Medicare Preventive Care in New Mexico: What's $0 in 2026

Medicare covers dozens of screenings, shots and counseling visits with no cost sharing at all — and has never covered a routine annual physical. The 2026 list, the wellness-visit trap that generates surprise bills, the 15% you owe if a polyp is removed during a screening colonoscopy, and CDC county data showing an 18-point gap in screening use across New Mexico.

Read →
September 2, 2026 · Choosing a Plan · 10 min read

Will I Lose My Presbyterian Doctors When My Medicare Plan Ends?

No — the hospitals and clinics keep running; it is the insurance plan that ends after December 31, 2026. Presbyterian said direct patient care roles are not affected and that it is filling about 870 open clinical positions. What actually decides whether your Albuquerque doctors stay in-network is the 2027 plan you pick next, and the directory-plus-phone-call check that confirms it before you enroll.

Read →
September 2, 2026 · Medicare Basics · 26 min read

Does Medicare Cover Ambulance Rides in New Mexico?

Yes — Part B covers ground and air ambulance when your condition makes other transportation unsafe, and you pay 20% after the $283 deductible. The protection almost nobody knows about: ambulance companies must accept Medicare's rate as payment in full, so they cannot balance bill you — something the No Surprises Act still does not do for ground ambulance. Plus the rural mileage math, the dialysis prior-authorization rule that reached New Mexico in 2021, and what to do when a claim is denied.

Read →
September 2, 2026 · Medicare Basics · 22 min read

Does Medicare Cover Eye Exams and Glasses? New Mexico 2026

Original Medicare has never paid for a routine eye exam or a pair of glasses — with one exception after cataract surgery. What it does cover (diabetic retinopathy exams, glaucoma tests, macular degeneration care), who qualifies for the covered annual glaucoma screening in New Mexico, what you pay in 2026, and what a Medicare Advantage vision allowance is really worth.

Read →
September 2, 2026 · Choosing a Plan · 24 min read

Does Medicare Advantage Require Prior Authorization in New Mexico?

Yes — in 2026, 99% of Medicare Advantage enrollees are in plans that require prior approval for at least one service, and it concentrates on hospital stays, rehab, Part B drugs, and home health. What needs it, the 72-hour and 7-day decision clocks that took effect January 1, 2026, why Original Medicare almost never uses it, and what to do when the answer is no.

Read →
September 1, 2026 · Medicare Basics · 16 min read

Does Medicare Cover Home Health Care? New Mexico 2026

Medicare pays $0 for covered home health visits — but only if you are homebound and need skilled care, and only up to 8 hours a day and 28 hours a week. Who qualifies in 2026, what is excluded, what equipment costs, how Medicare Advantage handles it differently, and the county numbers behind the need.

Read →
August 24, 2026 · Medicare Basics · 21 min read

Your 2027 Medicare ANOC Letter: New Mexico Checklist

Your Annual Notice of Change arrives in September — plans must deliver it by September 30. The seven lines to check, what CMS has already set for 2027 (the $41.33 base Part D premium, the end of the premium stabilization demonstration), how many Medicare Advantage plans your county actually has, and every deadline that follows.

Read →
August 21, 2026 · Medicare Basics · 23 min read

Medicare and IHS in New Mexico: How They Work Together

Indian Health Service and tribal health care are not insurance — and Medicare is not a replacement for them. What Parts A, B and D each add outside your I/T/U clinic, how Purchased/Referred Care expects you to use Medicare first, and the CY 2026 CMS guidance that generally removes the Part D late enrollment penalty for I/T/U pharmacy users.

Read →
August 21, 2026 · Medicare Basics · 21 min read

How to Appeal a Medicare Denial in New Mexico (2026)

A denial letter is a first answer, not a final one. The five appeal levels, the 2026 deadlines and decision clocks, the same-day hospital appeal most people never hear about — and the federal data showing 80.7% of Medicare Advantage appeals filed in 2024 were overturned at least in part.

Read →
August 19, 2026 · Medicare Basics · 20 min read

Does Medicare Cover Hearing Aids? New Mexico 2026

Original Medicare has never paid for hearing aids — but it does cover the diagnostic exam at 20% after the $283 Part B deductible. What's covered in 2026, why Medigap can't help, how Medicare Advantage hearing allowances really work, and the CDC county numbers behind the question.

Read →
August 17, 2026 · Choosing a Plan · 20 min read

Medicare Plan Ending in New Mexico? If You Do Nothing (2027)

If your Medicare Advantage plan is discontinued and you never pick a replacement, Medicare enrolls you in Original Medicare on January 1, 2027 — with no drug plan and no cap on what you can spend. The four things that disappear, the three enrollment windows you still have, and the 63-day Medigap door that closes quietly.

Read →
August 14, 2026 · Medicare Basics · 19 min read

Medicare Scams in New Mexico: How to Spot & Report (2026)

New Medicare cards are arriving, real plan-exit letters come this fall, and scammers are working both. The six things Medicare will never do, the scams circulating in New Mexico right now, the marketing rules real agents must follow — and the free state hotline to call: 1-800-432-2080.

Read →
August 12, 2026 · Medicare Basics · 19 min read

Does Medicare Cover Mental Health? New Mexico 2026 Guide

Yes — therapy, psychiatry, counseling, and telehealth from home are all covered. In 2026 you pay 20% after the $283 Part B deductible, your yearly depression screening is $0, and counselors can now bill Medicare directly. What's covered, what it costs, and the county-by-county numbers.

Read →
August 10, 2026 · Medicare Basics · 24 min read

How Much Does Medicare Cost per Month in New Mexico?

In 2026 most New Mexicans pay $202.90 a month for Part B, nothing for Part A, and about $34.50 for a drug plan — roughly $215 to $240 all in. The full monthly math, why some pay $689.90 and others pay $0, and the 2026 deductibles that come on top.

Read →
August 10, 2026 · Choosing a Plan · 9 min read

New Mexico's Medicare Advantage Market Is Shrinking: 2027 Guide

Presbyterian and other insurers are exiting Medicare Advantage. What 30,000+ affected seniors need to know about their 2027 options during AEP Oct 15–Dec 7.

Read →
August 7, 2026 · Choosing a Plan · 15 min read

Keep Your Medications When Your Plan Changes: 2027 Guide for New Mexico

Switching Medicare plans during AEP? A step-by-step guide to checking your new plan's drug list, handling prior authorization, confirming your pharmacy is in-network, and using the transition fill when coverage begins January 1, 2027.

Read →
August 5, 2026 · Medicare Basics · 24 min read

Does Medicare Pay for Nursing Home Care in New Mexico?

Only the short-term, skilled kind — up to 100 days per benefit period after a 3-day inpatient hospital stay, at $217 a day for days 21–100 in 2026. What the observation-status trap costs you, which Medigap plans pay that coinsurance, who pays when the days run out, and the 10 New Mexico counties with no certified nursing home at all.

Read →
August 3, 2026 · Medicare Basics · 19 min read

Does Medicare Cover Dental and Dentures in New Mexico?

No — Original Medicare doesn't pay for cleanings, fillings, dentures, or implants. The short list of dental work it does cover, why Medigap can't fill the gap, what New Mexico Medicare Advantage plans actually include, and county-by-county tooth-loss data for adults 65 and older.

Read →
August 3, 2026 · Medicare Basics · 13 min read

Medicare & Diabetes in New Mexico: 2026 Coverage Guide

New Mexico has some of the nation's highest diabetes rates. What Medicare covers in 2026 — the $35 insulin cap, the $2,100 drug cap, CGMs, test strips, training, and yearly eye exams — plus McKinley and Bernalillo County diabetes data.

Read →
July 31, 2026 · Drug Coverage · 18 min read

Medicare Extra Help in New Mexico: 2026 Income Limits

Extra Help takes your Part D premium and deductible to $0 and caps generics at $5.10. The 2026 income and resource limits, what you'd pay at the pharmacy, and why only 4.6% of the 123,403 New Mexicans who have it got it by applying.

Read →
July 31, 2026 · Medicare Basics · 18 min read

Medicare in Farmington & San Juan County: 2027 Guide

Losing your Presbyterian plan or new to Medicare in Farmington? Your 2027 guide to San Juan County coverage options — plus the Humana plan changes, enrollment windows, and local health data.

Read →
July 29, 2026 · Choosing a Plan · 9 min read

Humana Medicare Advantage Exits 2027: New Mexico Guide

Humana told investors on July 29, 2026 it will exit more Medicare Advantage plans in 2027 — about 600,000 members nationwide. No county list exists yet, but New Mexico's exposure is measurable: Humana is on the shelf in 29 of the 33 NM counties with any MA-PD plan, including half of San Juan County's options — and it lands on top of Presbyterian's separate 2027 exit. The fall calendar, your Special Enrollment Period, and the no-health-questions Medigap window explained.

Read →
July 28, 2026 · Choosing a Plan · 15 min read

Medicare in Santa Fe County: Your 2027 Plan Guide

Losing your Presbyterian plan or new to Medicare in Santa Fe? Your 2027 guide to Santa Fe County coverage options, enrollment windows, and local health data.

Read →
July 24, 2026 · Choosing a Plan · 17 min read

Medigap Plan G vs. Plan N in New Mexico: 2026 Guide

Medigap Plan G or Plan N in New Mexico? A plain-English 2026 comparison of coverage, copays, and cost — plus New Mexico's new birthday-rule law (SB 21) that lets Medigap holders switch each year without health questions starting in 2027.

Read →
July 24, 2026 · Medicare Basics · 15 min read

Medicare in Rio Rancho & Sandoval County: 2027 Guide

Losing your Presbyterian plan or new to Medicare in Rio Rancho? Your 2027 guide to Sandoval County coverage options, enrollment windows, and local health data.

Read →
July 22, 2026 · Medicare Basics · 14 min read

Veterans & Medicare in New Mexico: VA Benefits (2026)

New Mexico has 133,239 veterans, and many assume VA health care means they can skip Medicare. Usually it can't. How VA benefits and Medicare fit together in 2026 — Part B, the Part D creditable-coverage rule, CHAMPVA, and the penalty traps to avoid.

Read →
July 22, 2026 · Medicare Basics · 14 min read

Medicare in Albuquerque & Bernalillo County: 2027 Guide

Losing your Presbyterian plan or new to Medicare in Albuquerque? Your 2027 guide to Bernalillo County coverage options, enrollment windows, and local health data.

Read →
July 17, 2026 · Working Past 65 · 15 min read

Working Past 65 in New Mexico: Medicare & Your Job (2026)

Still working at 65? How Medicare works with employer coverage in New Mexico: the 20-employee rule, when it's safe to delay Part B, the HSA trap, and the 8-month Special Enrollment Period.

Read →
July 17, 2026 · Medicare Basics · 14 min read

Medicare in Las Cruces & Doña Ana County: 2027 Guide

Losing your Presbyterian plan or new to Medicare in Las Cruces? Your 2027 guide to Doña Ana County coverage options, enrollment windows, and local health data.

Read →
July 15, 2026 · Saving Money · 13 min read

Medicare Savings Programs in New Mexico: 2026 Guide

The Part B premium hit $202.90 a month in 2026. If your income is modest, a Medicare Savings Program can pay it for you — the 2026 QMB, SLMB, and QI income limits, what each pays, and how to apply in New Mexico.

Read →
July 15, 2026 · Choosing a Plan · 15 min read

Original Medicare vs. Medicare Advantage in New Mexico (2026)

The biggest Medicare decision, in plain English: how Original Medicare and Medicare Advantage compare on cost, networks, drug coverage, and out-of-pocket caps for 2026 — and how to choose.

Read →
July 13, 2026 · Turning 65 · 16 min read

Turning 65 in New Mexico: Your 2026 Medicare Guide

Turning 65? Your 7-month Initial Enrollment Period, 2026 Part A and Part B costs, the lifelong Part B late-enrollment penalty, working past 65, and the mistakes to avoid.

Read →
July 13, 2026 · Drug Coverage · 14 min read

Medicare Part D Costs in New Mexico: 2026 Cap & Extra Help

What Part D really costs in 2026: the $2,100 out-of-pocket cap, the $615 maximum deductible, the late-enrollment penalty, who qualifies for Extra Help, and the monthly payment option.

Read →
July 13, 2026 · Saving Money · 11 min read

Medicare IRMAA in New Mexico: 2026 Brackets & Appeals

IRMAA adds an income surcharge to Part B and Part D. The 2026 brackets, why the two-year lookback surprises Santa Fe retirees, and how to appeal with Form SSA-44.

Read →
July 10, 2026 · Enrollment · 10 min read

Your 2027 Medicare AEP Checklist for New Mexico

The Annual Enrollment Period runs Oct 15–Dec 7. What you can change, the step-by-step checklist, and what Albuquerque seniors should do if their Presbyterian plan is ending for 2027.

Read →
July 6, 2026 · Choosing a Plan · 8 min read

How to Keep Your Doctor When Your Medicare Plan Ends (2027)

Presbyterian's Medicare Advantage exit means about 30,000 New Mexicans pick new 2027 coverage. The five-step doctor-and-drug check to run before you enroll.

Read →
July 4, 2026 · Medicaid & D-SNP · 11 min read

Medicare and Medicaid in New Mexico: D-SNP Guide for 2027

Have both Medicare and Medicaid? How D-SNPs work, what Presbyterian keeping only Dual Plus D-SNP means for 2027, and the monthly enrollment windows duals get.

Read →
July 3, 2026 · Choosing a Plan · 8 min read

Medigap Guaranteed-Issue Rights in New Mexico for 2027

Losing your Medicare Advantage plan for 2027? You may have a guaranteed-issue right to buy Medigap with no health questions. The window, the plan letters, and the steps.

Read →
July 2, 2026 · Choosing a Plan · 7 min read

Presbyterian Ending Medicare Advantage in New Mexico (2027)

Presbyterian is discontinuing most Medicare Advantage plans in New Mexico for 2027. Here's what affected members should do during AEP — and the three options.

Read →

Content reviewed by Brian Penner, Independent Medicare advisor — no pressure.