TSM Life & Health is an independent, licensed agency helping Arizona residents compare Medicare Advantage, ACA Marketplace, life insurance, final expense and annuity options in plain language. For 2026, CMS lists 46 Medicare Advantage (MA-PD) plans in Maricopa County (Phoenix and Mesa) and 44 in Pima County (Tucson), most at a $0 monthly plan premium. On the ACA Marketplace, a single shopper in each of those counties can choose from 85 plans, and many qualify for a monthly premium tax credit. We help you compare, at no cost and no pressure.
County-level snapshots we pulled live from CMS and the HealthCare.gov Marketplace. Arizona plan availability is set county by county, so the figures below are examples for two major-metro counties within the state, not statewide totals. Phoenix and Mesa both sit in Maricopa County, so they share the same county-level plan availability; Tucson is in Pima County.
Every figure below is for non-SNP Medicare Advantage plans with prescription drug coverage (MA-PD) in the named county for contract year 2026. Averages are computed across all MA-PD plans CMS lists in that county. Maricopa County uses Phoenix ZIP 85003 and Mesa ZIP 85201 as representative anchors, and Pima County uses Tucson ZIP 85701 — all within Arizona.
| County (metro) | MA-PD plans | $0-premium plans | Avg premium/mo | Avg in-network MOOP | Avg Part D deductible | Plans rated 4★+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maricopa (Phoenix/Mesa) | 46 | 40 | $5.39 | $4,416 | $415 | 15 of 42 rated (36%) |
| Pima (Tucson) | 44 | 38 | $6.04 | $4,658 | $393 | 16 of 41 rated (39%) |
A $0 plan premium does not mean $0 cost — you still pay your Medicare Part B premium and any plan copays or coinsurance. The in-network maximum out-of-pocket (MOOP) is the most you would pay for covered Part A and Part B services in a year; once you reach it, the plan pays 100% for the rest of the year. Some newer plans do not yet have a CMS star rating, so the "rated 4★+" share is out of the plans that have one.
Plan counts are the total 2026 Marketplace plans available to a single adult in each county. The example premium tax credit (APTC) is modeled for a single 40-year-old non-tobacco applicant with a $30,000 modified adjusted gross income. Your own amount depends on your income, household size and the plans where you live — this is an estimate, not a quote or offer of coverage.
| County (metro) | Marketplace plans (2026) | Example monthly tax credit* | Lowest net premium in sample* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maricopa (Phoenix/Mesa) | 85 | $329 | $59.36 (Bronze) |
| Pima (Tucson) | 85 | $294 | $81.16 (Bronze) |
*Example only, for a single 40-year-old at $30,000 income (2026). The lowest net premium shown is the least expensive of the sample plans we pulled for that county after the tax credit is applied, not the least expensive plan overall. Open Enrollment for 2026 coverage runs November 1, 2025 through January 15, 2026; a qualifying life event can open a Special Enrollment Period at other times.
TSM Life & Health is an independent, licensed insurance agency (founder Keith McLiverty, National Producer Number 3481853). We are licensed in Arizona and work with Arizona residents by phone and video, so you get the same plain-spoken, no-pressure guidance whether you are in Phoenix, Tucson, Mesa, Chandler or anywhere else in the state. Because we are independent, we help you compare options across carriers — we do not work for any one insurance company.
Yes. We are an independent, licensed insurance agency serving Arizona residents. We help you compare Medicare Advantage, ACA Marketplace, life insurance, final expense and annuity options by phone and video, at no cost to you.
Availability is set county by county. For 2026, CMS lists 46 non-SNP MA-PD plans in Maricopa County (Phoenix and Mesa) and 44 in Pima County (Tucson), with most offering a $0 monthly plan premium. Tell us your county and we will pull the current list for you.
Many Arizona households qualify for an advance premium tax credit that lowers the monthly premium. For example, a single 40-year-old with a $30,000 income could see an estimated credit around $294 to $329 per month for 2026, depending on the county. Your actual amount depends on income, household size and available plans.
ACA Marketplace Open Enrollment for 2026 runs November 1, 2025 to January 15, 2026, with Special Enrollment Periods after qualifying life events. Medicare has an Annual Enrollment Period October 15 to December 7, plus Initial and Special Enrollment Periods. We can help you find the window that applies to you.
No. There is no cost to you to compare plans with us. We are compensated by the carriers when you enroll, and we present your options neutrally so you can choose what fits.
Sources. Medicare Advantage plan counts, premiums, in-network out-of-pocket maximums, Part D deductibles and CMS Overall Star Ratings come from the CMS Medicare Advantage / Part D Landscape for contract year 2026 (cms.gov), for Maricopa and Pima counties, AZ, covering non-SNP MA-PD plans; averages are computed across the plans in each county. ACA Marketplace plan counts and the example premium tax credit come from the HealthCare.gov Marketplace API for plan year 2026 (healthcare.gov), modeled for a single 40-year-old at $30,000 income. Data accessed via The Brain (Ambrose) MCP on July 31, 2026. For all of your options, see medicare.gov or ssa.gov.
TSM Life & Health is an independent, licensed insurance agency. We do not offer every plan available in your area. Any information we provide is limited to the plans we do offer in your area. Please contact Medicare.gov, 1-800-MEDICARE, or your State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) to get information on all of your options. We are not connected with or endorsed by the U.S. government, the federal Medicare program, or CMS. Figures are estimates for education only, not quotes or guarantees of coverage or savings. Verify current plan details with a licensed agent before enrolling.
Most Arizona residents choose between three building blocks. Here is how they compare, in plain language, so you can see where each one fits.
| Path | What it is | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| Original Medicare | Part A (hospital) and Part B (medical), run by the federal government. | Covers the essentials, but not everything — there is no built-in drug coverage and no yearly out-of-pocket cap. |
| Medicare Advantage (Part C) | A private plan that bundles Part A and Part B, and usually Part D, into one plan. | Often adds extra benefits and includes a yearly out-of-pocket cap; uses a provider network. |
| Medicare Part D | Prescription drug coverage offered by private plans. | Can pair with Original Medicare or come built into a Medicare Advantage plan. |
We are an independent agency and we do not offer every plan available in your area. We help you compare the options we do offer so you can choose what fits.
Timing matters with Medicare. These are the main windows to know for 2026.
| Enrollment period | When | What it is for |
|---|---|---|
| Initial Enrollment Period (IEP) | The 7 months around your 65th birthday — the 3 months before, your birthday month, and the 3 months after. | Your first chance to sign up for Medicare. |
| General Enrollment Period (GEP) | January 1 – March 31 | For people who missed their IEP; coverage starts the month after you sign up. |
| Annual Enrollment Period (AEP) | October 15 – December 7 | Change your Medicare Advantage or Part D plan for the coming year. |
| Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment | January 1 – March 31 | If you are already in a Medicare Advantage plan, make a one-time switch. |
A Special Enrollment Period (SEP) can also open after a qualifying event — for example, losing employer coverage or moving out of your plan's service area.
You may be eligible for Medicare if any of the following apply to you:
Statewide, real figures for Arizona from the CMS Medicare Advantage / Part D Landscape for contract year 2026. Plan counts are the distinct plan offerings available across Arizona; availability in your own county may be narrower.
Sources: CMS Medicare Advantage / Part D Landscape, contract year 2026 (cms.gov), for Arizona; figures accessed via The Brain (Ambrose) data service on 2026-07-31. A $0 plan premium does not mean $0 cost — you still pay your Medicare Part B premium and any plan copays. We do not offer every plan available in your area.
No pressure — just a clear path. Here is how we help Arizona residents get to a confident decision:
These free, official resources can help you understand and compare your options:
Medicare is usually the reason people call, but it’s rarely the only thing on the kitchen table. We’re an independent agency, so we compare across carriers rather than representing one — and a fair number of these conversations end with us telling someone that what they already have is the right fit.
Not sure which of these applies to you? That’s a normal place to start. Book a free consultation or call 203-951-0339 and ask one question — that is allowed.
You will probably recognize yourself in one of these. Each one starts in a different place, so each one gets a different first conversation.
There are three shopping bags of mail on the table, every plan claims to be free, and you’d like to keep your cardiologist. We start with your doctors and your prescriptions, then look at the plans — not the other way around.
Start with MedicareYou’re the one reading small print at 11pm, wondering whether the postcard that looks like a Medicare card is a scam. Bring us the mail. We’ll tell you what’s real, and you can put us on speakerphone with your mother.
See how we workCOBRA quoted more than the mortgage payment and you’ve got a few years to get to Medicare. We help you think through the income estimate the Marketplace runs on, and set the calendar so you land on Medicare at 65 without a gap or a penalty.
Read the ACA guideSize it before you shop it — debt, income to replace, mortgage, education, minus what you already have. Then match the tool: term for the years with a mortgage and children in the house, a smaller permanent policy for what never expires.
See life insuranceNone of these are dramatic enough to notice in the mail. All three show up later — at the pharmacy counter, at the front desk, or in a monthly check that can’t be changed.
Working past 65 does not always let you delay Medicare. Whether you can wait depends on the size of your employer and whether the coverage counts as creditable. Nothing that arrives in the mail tells you which case you’re in, and the penalties for guessing wrong are added to your premium for as long as you hold the coverage. Here is how the enrollment windows actually work.
The higher earner’s Social Security decision is really the survivor’s decision. When one spouse dies, the survivor keeps the larger of the two checks — not both. So the higher earner’s claiming age sets the income the widow or widower lives on, potentially for decades. It’s the single most expensive thing to get wrong, and the easiest to miss. We walk through 62 versus 67 versus 70 here.
“Keep what I have” is one of the options being compared, not the default. Plans change every year — premiums, formularies, networks, the out-of-pocket maximum — and so does your life. Once a year we re-run your drug list and your doctors against the plans we offer in your area. If the plan you have is still the right one, that’s what we tell you, and it costs nothing either way. That yearly review is the part of the relationship that matters most.
Happy to look at any of this with you, at your pace. Our office is at 479 New Haven Avenue in Milford, Connecticut, and a real person answers the phone Monday to Friday 9–6 and Saturday 10–2. Get in touch.
We do not offer every plan available in your area. Any information we provide is limited to those plans we do offer in your area. Please contact Medicare.gov or 1-800-MEDICARE, or your local State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP), to get information on all of your options. TSM Life & Health is a licensed independent insurance agency and is not connected with, affiliated with, or endorsed by the U.S. government, the federal Medicare program, the Social Security Administration, or the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). This is a solicitation for insurance; a licensed insurance agent may contact you. Product availability and benefits vary by state and carrier, and all guarantees are backed solely by the claims-paying ability of the issuing insurance company. This page is general educational information only and is not insurance, tax, legal, or investment advice.
Tell us your county, your doctors and your prescriptions, and we will help you match a plan — at no cost and no pressure.