Medicare by region · Kennewick, Pasco, Richland, Walla Walla, Pullman, Clarkston, Dayton
Three hospitals in three cities on the Columbia, a VA medical center in Walla Walla, wheat country to the Idaho line — and a fast-growing retiree population choosing between Kadlec, Trios and Lourdes networks.
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Medicare in the region
The Tri-Cities are one of the fastest-growing retirement destinations in the state, and the plan menu is moderate and specific: Kadlec in Richland is a Providence hospital, Trios in Kennewick and Lourdes in Pasco are separately owned, and each contracts on its own terms with the Advantage carriers. Hanford retirees with employer coverage and a growing Apple Health population in Franklin County add two more layers.
East and south, Walla Walla has Providence St. Mary and the Wainwright VA; Pullman, Colfax, Clarkston, Pomeroy and Dayton have one hospital apiece and long drives for anything beyond it. Advantage menus there are short, and Original Medicare with a Medigap policy — accepted at every hospital in the region and in Spokane — is often the practical choice.
Local plans to know: The Tri-Cities have three hospitals under three owners — Kadlec (Providence), Trios and Lourdes — and an Advantage plan built on one may not include the others. Walla Walla’s VA medical center serves veterans across the southeast; the Palouse and Blue Mountain counties rely on small hospitals with Spokane or the Tri-Cities for specialty care.
Counties: Benton, Franklin, Walla Walla, Columbia, Garfield, Asotin, Whitman.
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 Southeast Washington
Benton and Franklin counties typically offer a moderate Medicare Advantage menu, every Medigap carrier in Washington, and the full Part D lineup. Walla Walla, Columbia, Garfield, Asotin and Whitman counties have fewer Advantage plans. We compare what is sold at your address.
Kadlec, Trios and Lourdes each contract with some Advantage plans and not others, and the lists change every fall. A Medigap policy with Original Medicare covers all three. We confirm your doctors 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.