Medicare by region · Bellingham, Mount Vernon, Anacortes, Oak Harbor, Friday Harbor
PeaceHealth in Bellingham, Skagit Regional in Mount Vernon, island hospitals reached by bridge or ferry, and NAS Whidbey Island’s retiree community in Oak Harbor. Networks here have to cross water.
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Medicare in the region
Bellingham is the medical center for the northwest corner, with PeaceHealth St. Joseph and the Family Care Network clinics carrying most of Whatcom County, and Skagit Regional Health doing the same for Mount Vernon and the Skagit Valley. The Advantage menu is moderate, and the network question is whether a plan includes both PeaceHealth and Skagit Regional, or reaches Seattle for the specialists neither has.
On the islands the arithmetic changes. Island Health in Anacortes, WhidbeyHealth in Coupeville and Peace Island in Friday Harbor are small hospitals, and a ferry ride separates a San Juan retiree from an oncologist. A Medigap policy covers the island hospital and the Seattle specialist alike; an Advantage plan has to be checked on both ends. Oak Harbor’s Navy retirees usually have TRICARE For Life, which changes the calculation again.
What to watch: Whatcom and Skagit counties have moderate Advantage menus built around PeaceHealth and Skagit Regional; San Juan and Island counties have small hospitals and a ferry between them and any specialist. NAS Whidbey Island gives Oak Harbor a large TRICARE For Life community.
Counties: Whatcom, Skagit, San Juan, Island.
Each contracts differently with each plan; we check your doctors first.
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. Already have a Medigap policy? Washington lets you change it any time of year.
Your options
All-in-one Part C plans, often $0 premium, that use a local network — so whether UW Medicine, Providence, MultiCare or Kaiser is in it matters as much as the price.
How Advantage worksMedigap pairs with Original Medicare and lets you see any provider in the country that accepts Medicare — and in Washington you can change plans any time.
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 Apple Health.
About SNPsQuestions from the North Sound and islands
Whatcom and Skagit counties typically offer a moderate Medicare Advantage menu, every Medigap carrier in Washington, and the full Part D lineup. San Juan and Island counties have fewer Advantage plans. We compare what is sold at your address.
It depends on the plan’s network, which changes each fall. A Medigap policy with Original Medicare covers the island hospital and any mainland provider that accepts Medicare. We confirm before you enroll.
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
A short, friendly conversation — no pressure, no cost.
Written and reviewed by Darin Weidauer — licensed insurance agent (NPN 18580338, WA License #1010707), Gerontologist (USC Leonard Davis School of Gerontology), MBA, Registered Social Security Analyst, and 22-year U.S. Air Force veteran.Last reviewed September 13, 2026. Plan availability, benefits and costs change every plan year — verify current details at Medicare.gov, 1-800-MEDICARE, or Washington SHIBA at 800-562-6900.