What is Medicare Advantage?

Medicare Advantage is an alternative to Original Medicare , provided by private insurers instead of directly by the federal government. It covers all of the benefits of Original Medicare (ie, hospital care and medical/physician care), albeit with different out-of-pocket costs and access to medical providers. And most Medicare Advantage plans also provide helpful additional healthcare benefits, such as Medicare Part D coverage for prescription drugs, plus extras like dental and vision coverage. But provider networks tend to be much more limited and localized with Medicare Advantage, unlike Original Medicare's nationwide access to providers. There are pros and cons to either option . Fifty-one percent of Alabama Medicare beneficiaries were enrolled in private Medicare Advantage and other health plans in 2021.[efn_note]“ Total Number of Medicare Beneficiaries by Type of Coverage .” Kaiser Family Foundation, May 4, 2023.[/efn_note] Nationwide, the average was 43%.[efn_note]“ Total Number of Medicare Beneficiaries by Type of Coverage .” Kaiser Family Foundation, May 4, 2023.[/efn_note] The remaining 49% of the state's Medicare beneficiaries had opted instead for coverage under Original Medicare.[efn_note]“ Total Number of Medicare Beneficiaries by Type of Coverage .” Kaiser Family Foundation, May 4, 2023.[/efn_note] But by mid-2024, 63% of the people with Medicare in Alabama were enrolled in private plans (ie, Medicare Advantage, as opposed to Original Medicare).[efn_note]“ Medicare Advantage in 2024: Enrollment Update and Key Trends ” Kaiser Family Foundation, Aug. 8, 2024.[/efn_note] The increase in Medicare Advantage enrollment has been a steady trend in most states over the last several years; nationwide, about 54% of Medicare beneficiaries had Advantage plans as of 2024.[efn_note]“ Medicare Advantage in 2024: Enrollment Update and Key Trends ” Kaiser Family Foundation, Aug. 8, 2024.[/efn_note] The availability of Medicare Advantage plans depends on where a person lives. In Alabama in 2023, the number of Medicare Advantage plans available can range up to 108 plans, depending on the county.[efn_note] Fact Sheet - Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Service s | Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. September 29, 2022.[/efn_note] It's not a coincidence that the most populated counties have a higher number of available plans, as insurer service areas tend to be concentrated in areas where there is a large population. Medicare Advantage enrollment is available when a person is first eligible for Medicare, and there's also an annual window each fall called the Annual Election Period (AEP), from October 15 to December 7. During this window, Medicare beneficiaries can switch from one Medicare Advantage plan to another, or from Medicare Advantage to Original Medicare or vice versa (note that there is no annual enrollment window for Medigap plans ; medical underwriting is necessary in most cases in order to enroll in a Medigap plan after a person's initial enrollment window). There's also a Medicare Advantage open enrollment period (January 1 to March 31) during which people who are already enrolled in Medicare Advantage plans can switch to a different Medicare Advantage plan or drop their Medicare Advantage plans and enroll in Original Medicare instead.2

What are Medigap plans?

Medigap plans are used to supplement Original Medicare, covering some or all of the out-of-pocket healthcare costs (for coinsurance and deductibles) that people would otherwise incur if they only had Original Medicare on its own. According to Medicare's plan finder tool, there are 12 Medigap plans offered in Alabama as of 2024.[efn_note] Find a Medicare plan . Medicare.gov. Accessed Oct. 10, 2024.[/efn_note] Medigap plans are standardized under federal rules , and people are granted a six-month window, when they turn 65 and enroll in Original Medicare, during which coverage is guaranteed issue for Medigap plans, and insurers can't use medical underwriting to determine eligibility or premiums. Federal rules do not, however, guarantee access to a Medigap plan if you're under 65 and eligible for Medicare as a result of a disability. The majority of the states have adopted rules to ensure at least some access to Medigap plans for enrollees under the age of 65, but Alabama is not among them . In Alabama, Medicare beneficiaries who are under 65 can apply for a Medigap plan, but coverage is not guaranteed issue and insurers can use medical underwriting to determine whether to issue a policy and at what price. In Alabama there are three Medigap plans offered for enrollees who are under age 65.[efn_note] Find a Medicare plan . Medicare.gov. Accessed Oct. 10, 2024..[/efn_note] They offer just a few plan options, with premiums are substantially higher than premiums for similar plans for a person who is 65. A person who has Medicare prior to age 65 as a result of a disability does qualify for an open enrollment period, upon turning age 65, during which they can select any Medigap plan, guaranteed-issue, from any insurer offering plans in their area. People under age 65 who are eligible for Medicare also have the option of enrolling, with standard premiums, in a Medicare Advantage plan. This now includes people with end-stage renal disease, who were ineligible to join most Medicare Advantage plans prior to 2021.

What is Medicare Part D?

Original Medicare does not cover outpatient prescription drugs. But Medicare beneficiaries can get prescription coverage via a Medicare Advantage plan, an employer-sponsored plan (offered by a current or former employer), or a stand-alone Medicare Part D plan . As of June 2024, there were 845,654 Medicare beneficiaries in Alabama who were enrolled in Medicare Part D coverage. The majority, more than 602,986, had coverage under a Medicare Advantage plan with integrated Part D coverage. Another 242,668 had stand-alone Part D plans.[efn_note]“<a href="https://data.cms.gov/summary-statistics-on-beneficiary-enrollment/medicare-and-medicaid-reports/medicare-monthly-enrollment/data?query=%7B%22filters%22%3A%7B%22list%22%3A%5B%7B%22conditions%22%3A%5B%7B%22column%22%3A%7B%22value%22%3A%22YEAR%22%7D%2C%22comparator%22%3A%7B%22value%22%3A%22%3D%22%7D%2C%22filterValue%22%3A%5B%222023%22%5D%7D%5D%7D%5D%2C%22rootConjunction%22%3A%7B%22value%22%3A%22AND%22%7D%7D%2C%22keywords%22%3A%22%22%2C%22offset%22%3A0%2C%22limit%22%3A10%2C%22sort%22%3A%7B%22sortBy%22%3Anull%2C%22sortOrder%22%3Anull%7D%2C%22columns%22%3A%5B%5D%7D">Medicare Monthly Eligibility .” Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Data. Accessed Oct. 10, 2024.[/efn_note] For 2023 coverage, there are 24 stand-alone Part D plans available in Alabama, with premiums starting at $7.40 per month.[efn_note] Fact Sheet - Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Service s | Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. September 29, 2022.[/efn_note] Medicare Part D enrollment is available when a beneficiary is first eligible for Medicare, and also during the annual open enrollment period in the fall (October 15 - December 7; the same enrollment window that applies to Medicare Advantage plans). This window is an opportunity for Medicare beneficiaries to change their Part D coverage, with any plan changes taking effect January 1 of the coming year.

What additional help is available for Medicare in Alabama?

If you have questions about filing for Medicare benefits in Alabama, Medicare eligibility in Alabama, or Medicare enrollment in Alabama, you can contact the Alabama State Health Insurance Assistance Program . You can also reach out to the Alabama Department of Insurance for assistance with Medigap plans in Alabama . The Department of Insurance also oversees the agents and brokers who offer health coverage in Alabama, and can provide assistance and information in a variety of health coverage situations. The Medicare Rights Center is an excellent resource, as is Medicare.gov .

Medicare in Alabama

Medicare enrollment in Alabama

As of February 2026, there were 1,137,714 people enrolled in Medicare in Alabama.¹

Medicare covers most people who are age 65 or older, and it also covers disabled individuals under the age of 65. Nationwide, almost 91% of Medicare beneficiaries are eligible due to their age, and the remaining 9% are eligible due to a disability.² But in Alabama in 2026, more than 14% of Medicare beneficiaries were under age 65.³

Learn how Alabama’s Medicaid program can provide assistance to Medicare beneficiaries with limited income and assets.
Read about Medicare’s open enrollment period and other important enrollment deadlines.

Medicare Advantage plan availability and enrollment in Alabama

As of early 2026, more than 61% of Alabama Medicare beneficiaries were enrolled in private Medicare Advantage and other health plans.¹ Nationwide, the average was about 51%.⁴ The remaining 39% of Alabama’s Medicare beneficiaries had opted instead for coverage under Original Medicare.¹

The availability of Medicare Advantage plans depends on where a person lives. In Alabama in 2026, there are a total of 98 Medicare Advantage plans available, although this includes employer-sponsored plans and special needs plans (SNPs) that are only available to enrollees with certain health needs.⁵

If we just consider individual Medicare Advantage plans that are available to any enrollee, the average Alabama Medicare beneficiary can choose from among 35 plans for 2026.⁶ It’s not a coincidence that the most populated counties have a higher number of available plans, as insurer service areas tend to be concentrated in areas where there is a large population.

Learn more about Medicare Advantage, Medicare’s annual open enrollment period, and the Medicare Advantage open enrollment period.

Medicare Advantage plan availability and enrollment in Alabama

Sources: Medicare Advantage 2026 Spotlight: A First Look at Plan Offerings, KFF.org, Dec. 9, 2025; Fact Sheet: Medicare Open Enrollment for 2026, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. Sep. 26, 2025.

Learn about Medicare plan options in Alabama by contacting a licensed agent.

Medicare supplement (Medigap) plan availability in Alabama

According to Medicare’s plan finder tool, there are 22 insurers that offer Medigap plans in Alabama as of 2026.⁷

As of 2024, there were 163,773 Alabama residents enrolled in Medigap plans.⁸

Medigap plans are standardized under federal rules, and people are granted a six-month window, when they turn 65 and enroll in Original Medicare, during which Medigap coverage is guaranteed issue and insurers can’t use medical underwriting to determine eligibility or premiums. Federal rules do not, however, guarantee access to a Medigap plan if you’re under 65 and eligible for Medicare as a result of a disability.

The majority of the states have adopted rules to ensure at least some access to Medigap plans for enrollees under the age of 65, but Alabama is not among them.⁹ In Alabama, Medicare beneficiaries who are under 65 can apply for a Medigap plan, but coverage is not guaranteed issue and insurers can use medical underwriting to determine whether to issue a policy and at what price.

In Alabama in 2026, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Alabama is the only insurer that offers Medigap coverage to enrollees who are under age 65.¹⁰ They offer only Medigap Plan A for enrollees under age 65, although the premium is the same as the premium BCBSAL charges a person who is 65.

A person who has Medicare prior to age 65 as a result of a disability does qualify for an open enrollment period, upon turning age 65, during which they can select any Medigap plan, guaranteed-issue, from any insurer offering plans in their area.⁹

Learn what Medigap covers, who’s eligible for Medigap and when you can enroll.

Medicare Part D plan availability and enrollment in Alabama

As of February 2026, there were 912,861 Medicare beneficiaries in Alabama who were enrolled in Medicare Part D coverage.¹ The majority – 557,273 – had coverage under a Medicare Advantage plan with integrated Part D coverage. The other 355,588 had stand-alone Part D plans.¹

For 2026 coverage, there are 12 stand-alone Part D plans available in Alabama, with premiums starting at $0 per month.⁵

Learn how Medicare Part D prescription drug coverage works, what it pays for, how and when to enroll.

Medicare Part D plan availability, premiums and enrollment in Alabama

Source: Fact Sheet: Medicare Open Enrollment for 2026, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. Sep. 26, 2025.

Resources for Medicare beneficiaries in Alabama

Have questions about Medicare enrollment or Medicare eligibility in Alabama?

Alabama State Health Insurance Assistance Program offers information about filing for Medicare benefits, Medicare eligibility, and Medicare enrollment in Alabama.
The Alabama Department of Insurance provides assistance with Medigap plans in Alabama. The Department of Insurance also oversees the agents and brokers who offer health coverage in Alabama, and can provide assistance and information in a variety of health coverage situations.
The Medicare Rights Center website is a nationwide resource for information, with helpful content geared to Medicare beneficiaries, caregivers, and professionals.