Medicare made clear · Statewide in Texas
Turning 65, retiring, or re-shopping because your plan pulled out of your county? Sit down with a credentialed independent agent who will walk you through Medicare Advantage, Medigap and Part D in plain English — patiently, and at no cost to you.
No cost, no obligation, no pressure.
Tell us a little about you and Darin will reach out. Prefer to talk now? Call (702) 706-6564.
Texas is different
Texas has 254 counties, half its Medicare population in Advantage plans, and some of the widest gaps in the country between what is sold in Houston and what is sold in Hereford. Start with what is actually for sale where you live.
Harris County has dozens of Advantage plans; a Panhandle or Big Bend county may have two, and for 2026 UnitedHealthcare and Humana pulled out of a number of rural counties. A plan leaving your county opens a Special Enrollment Period and, often, a guaranteed-issue right to Medigap.
What a non-renewal notice gives youMD Anderson, Mayo referrals, UT Southwestern, Texas Children’s adult programs — each takes Original Medicare and contracts with some Advantage plans, not all. If a specific institution is your care, that decides the plan type before price does.
When a supplement is the safer pathTexas is home to Fort Cavazos, Joint Base San Antonio and Fort Bliss. TRICARE For Life and VA care each work with Medicare differently, and the Part B timing mistake is expensive and permanent.
Veterans & MedicareMedicare in 2026, at a glance
Premiums and deductibles change every year. Here are the current 2026 Original Medicare figures — we refresh them annually so you are never reading last year’s numbers.
Source: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, 2026 Medicare Parts A & B Premiums and Deductibles (released November 14, 2025) and 2026 Part D parameters. Higher earners may pay an income-related surcharge (IRMAA) — see our 2026 costs & IRMAA page.
Where to start
There is no single “best” plan — only the one that fits your doctors, your prescriptions, your county and your travel. Here is the plain-English version of your choices.
All-in-one Part C plans, often $0 premium, that use a local network — so your providers, your county and your prescriptions matter.
How Advantage worksMedigap pairs with Original Medicare and lets you see any provider nationwide that accepts Medicare — MD Anderson, Mayo, or a clinic in the Valley.
How Medigap worksStandalone drug coverage chosen around your medications and pharmacy. 2026 out-of-pocket cap: $2,100.
How Part D worksAdvantage plans built for a chronic condition, for nursing-facility care, or for people with both Medicare and Texas Medicaid.
About SNPsYour situation matters
The rules change a lot depending on what else you have and where you spend the year. These are the situations Texans ask us about most.
Which plans work when you split the year between the Valley and Minnesota, or drive to a grandchild in Denver.
Medicare for Winter TexansThe 2026 carrier exits hit rural Texas hardest. What a discontinuation notice gives you, and the deadline that comes with it.
What to do nextTRICARE For Life, VA care — Houston, Dallas, San Antonio, Temple, El Paso — and why Part B timing still matters.
Veterans & MedicareSTAR+PLUS, the Medicare Savings Programs that pay your Part B premium, and Dual Special Needs Plans that coordinate both.
Dual-eligible helpFree guide
A clear, step-by-step walk-through of your enrollment windows, the Texas-specific choices in front of you, and the deadlines that carry a lifelong penalty if you miss them. No sign-up required.
Read the Turning 65 guide Get the free 295-page bookWho you’ll be working with
Gerontologist · Registered Social Security Analyst® · U.S. Air Force Veteran
Darin Weidauer (TX License #2514981) is an independent Medicare insurance agent, credentialed gerontologist, and Registered Social Security Analyst® who helps Texas retirees and people approaching 65 make sense of their options — clearly, patiently, and with no cost to them. A 22-year U.S. Air Force veteran who retired as an officer, Darin holds five master’s degrees, including an MBA and a Master’s in Dispute Resolution from Pepperdine and a Master’s in Long-Term Care from USC, and became a credentialed gerontologist in 2014 — studying the human side of aging, not just the paperwork.
A former Professor of Aerospace Studies at Loyola Marymount University who has lectured at more than 50 colleges and universities, Darin now channels that teaching instinct into plain-English Medicare education through one-on-one reviews, no-cost workshops, and his book Retire With Confidence. More about Darin →
Serving communities across Texas
We work with Texans by phone and video across all 254 counties. Find Medicare guidance for your city:
Or explore Medicare by region — the parts of the state we all know by name:
Near a base? We help military retirees and veterans coordinate TRICARE, VA care and Medicare:
Questions Texans ask
There is no cost to you. Independent Medicare agents are paid by the insurance carriers when you enroll, so our help comparing plans, answering questions, and reviewing your coverage each year is free. Your plan premium is the same whether you enroll with our help or on your own.
You are not alone: for the 2026 plan year UnitedHealthcare and Humana withdrew from a number of rural Texas counties, and Humana has announced more reductions for 2027. A non-renewal notice gives you a Special Enrollment Period and, in most cases, a guaranteed-issue right to buy a Medigap policy without health questions, generally within 63 days of the coverage ending. Call before the deadline on the notice.
Most people first enroll during their Initial Enrollment Period, the seven months around their 65th birthday. After that, the Annual Election Period runs October 15 to December 7 each year, and the Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period runs January 1 to March 31. Moving counties, losing a plan, or qualifying for Medicaid opens a Special Enrollment Period.
MD Anderson accepts Original Medicare, and therefore any Medigap policy. It contracts with some Medicare Advantage plans and not others, and the list changes each year. If MD Anderson — or UT Southwestern, Houston Methodist, or a Mayo referral — is your care, we confirm the plan’s status in writing before you enroll.
Often, yes. VA health care and Medicare do not coordinate with each other, and TRICARE For Life requires you to have Medicare Parts A and B. Enrolling in Part B on time matters even with VA care, because VA medical coverage is not creditable for Part B and the late penalty lasts for life. Our Veterans page explains how these benefits fit together.
No — and we will always be upfront about that. We represent a number of insurance organizations and products in Texas, not all of them. The easiest next step is to call us at (702) 706-6564 and we will walk through what fits you. To compare every option on your own, Medicare.gov, 1-800-MEDICARE, and Texas HICAP (800-252-9240) have the complete list.
Ready when you are
A short, friendly conversation — no pressure, no cost. We’ll look at your doctors, your prescriptions, your county and your travel together.
Written and reviewed by Darin Weidauer — licensed insurance agent (NPN 18580338, TX License #2514981), Gerontologist (USC Leonard Davis School of Gerontology), MBA, Registered Social Security Analyst, and 22-year U.S. Air Force veteran.Last reviewed September 4, 2026. Plan availability, benefits and costs change every plan year — verify current details at Medicare.gov, 1-800-MEDICARE, or Texas HICAP at 800-252-9240.