Health systems
- Houston Methodist
- Memorial Hermann
- MD Anderson Cancer Center
- Baylor St. Luke’s / CommonSpirit
- HCA Houston Healthcare
- Kelsey-Seybold Clinic
- UTMB Health (Galveston)
Each contracts differently with each plan; we check your doctors first.
Medicare by region · Houston, Galveston & the Golden Triangle
Medicare help across Greater Houston and the Gulf Coast
Harris, Fort Bend, Montgomery, Galveston, Brazoria and Jefferson counties — the deepest plan menu in Texas, the Texas Medical Center, and a network question that starts with which of five big systems you use.
No cost, no obligation, no pressure.
Request your free Medicare review
No cost, no pressure. Prefer to call? (702) 706-6564.
Medicare in the region
Houston Metro & Gulf Coast: what shapes the choice here
More than a million people on Medicare live in Greater Houston, and the plan menu shows it: dozens of Medicare Advantage plans in Harris County, every Medigap carrier licensed in Texas, and the full Part D lineup. The trade-off is that Houston’s care is organized into large systems that contract separately, so a $0-premium plan that includes Memorial Hermann may exclude Methodist, and MD Anderson contracts with only some Advantage plans.
Along the coast and into the Golden Triangle the menu thins. Galveston County leans on UTMB, Jefferson County on Baptist and Christus, and the 2026 carrier pullbacks reached some of the rural counties between them. We compare what is sold at your ZIP code, not what is sold in the Loop.
Local plans to know: KelseyCare Advantage, built on the Kelsey-Seybold system, is sold only in the Houston area; Houston Methodist and Memorial Hermann each contract with different carriers. If your doctor sits inside one system, that decides the shortlist before premiums do.
Counties: Harris, Fort Bend, Montgomery, Galveston, Brazoria, Liberty, Chambers, Waller, Jefferson, Orange, Hardin.
Cities in this region
When you can enroll
Turning 65? Your Initial Enrollment Period is the 7 months around your birthday. Already on Medicare? The Annual Election Period is Oct 15–Dec 7, and Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment runs Jan 1–Mar 31. A plan leaving your county opens a Special Enrollment Period.
Your options
Which kind of plan fits you?
Medicare Advantage
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 worksMedicare Supplement
Medigap 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 worksPart D drug plans
Standalone drug coverage chosen around your medications and pharmacy. 2026 out-of-pocket cap: $2,100.
How Part D worksSpecial Needs Plans
Advantage plans built for a chronic condition, for nursing-facility care, or for people with both Medicare and Texas Medicaid.
About SNPsQuestions from Greater Houston
Frequently asked questions
Which Medicare plans are available in Houston?
Harris County typically has the widest choice in Texas: dozens of Medicare Advantage plans from Humana, UnitedHealthcare, Aetna, Cigna, Wellcare, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas, KelseyCare Advantage and others, every Medigap carrier in the state, and all standalone Part D plans. Availability is set by county and ZIP code and changes each plan year.
Does MD Anderson accept Medicare Advantage?
MD Anderson accepts Original Medicare and therefore any Medigap policy. It contracts with some Medicare Advantage plans and not others, and the contracts change. If MD Anderson is your care or a possibility, we confirm the plan’s status in writing before you enroll.
How much does your help cost?
Nothing. Independent agents are paid by the carriers when you enroll, so comparing plans and reviewing your coverage each year is free to you.
Ready when you are
Let’s find the right plan for life in Greater Houston.
A short, friendly conversation — no pressure, no cost.
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.