Medicare in Wyoming

Most Wyoming Medicare beneficiaries opt for Original Medicare – only 22,825 people had Medicare Advantage coverage as of July 2024, which amounts to about 18% of Wyoming’s Medicare population enrolled in Medicare Advantage plans¹ (although that’s up from just 6% in 2021).⁸ Nationwide, more than half of all Medicare beneficiaries were enrolled in Medicare Advantage plans as of mid-2024,⁷ but Original Medicare enrollment in Wyoming is much more popular.

That’s due in large part to the fact that until the last few years, much of Wyoming simply didn’t have many Medicare Advantage plans available for purchase. Prior to 2019, there were no Medicare Advantage plans in 15 of the state’s 23 counties⁹

But starting in 2019, one carrier began offering Medicare Savings Account (MSA) plans — a type of Medicare Advantage plan — statewide in Wyoming.¹⁰ And other Medicare insurers have joined the state’s market since then.

The MSAs are no longer available after the end of 2023,¹¹ but all counties in Wyoming have at least three Medicare Advantage plans available as of 2024 (they may all be offered by the same insurance company, depending on the county).^{12 13}

And all counties in Wyoming continue to have Medicare Advantage plans available for 2025.⁴

Medicare Advantage plans provide all of the benefits of Original Medicare (Part A, hospital coverage, and Part B, outpatient/medical coverage), although out-of-pocket costs and provider network access can differ considerably. Medicare Advantage plans also tend to include additional benefits, including Medicare Part D prescription drug coverage for drugs, nurse hotlines, fitness, and covered dental and vision services. But Medicare Advantage plans also tend to have much more limited provider networks than the nationwide access granted by Original Medicare, and they also tend to use things like prior authorization and step therapy to contain costs.

Medicare Advantage plan enrollment is available when a person is first eligible for Medicare, and there’s the Medicare Annual Open Enrollment Period (October 15 to December 7) when beneficiaries can switch to or from Medicare Advantage, or pick a different Medicare Advantage plan. There is also a window at the start of the year (January 1 to March 31) when people who are already enrolled in Medicare Advantage plans can switch to a different Medicare Advantage plan or switch to Original Medicare instead.

• Learn more about the Medicare Annual Enrollment Period (Oct. 15-Dec. 7)
• Questions to ask when you’re deciding between Medicare Advantage and Medigap + Part D.
• Learn how Wyoming Medicaid provides assistance to Medicare beneficiaries with limited income and assets.

According to AHIP, 58,604 Wyoming residents had Medigap coverage as of 2023,¹⁴ to supplement their Original Medicare coverage.

At least 17 insurers sell Medigap plans in Wyoming, although the state insurance department notes this might not be a comprehensive list.⁵

Learn how Medigap plans are regulated and standardized.

Federal rules do not provide for an annual open enrollment period for Medigap. If a person applies for Medigap coverage after their initial enrollment period ends, the insurer can use medical underwriting to determine their eligibility and pricing (assuming they don’t qualify for a special enrollment period with guaranteed-issue rights).

Wyoming’s Medigap birthday rule

But states can provide additional enrollment opportunities. In mid-2025, Wyoming joined the list of states that offer “birthday rule” Medigap enrollment windows. Under Wyoming’s rule, Medigap enrollees have a 63-day window, starting on their birthday, when they can switch to any available Medigap plan that offers the same or lesser benefits, without underwriting.¹⁵

Medigap access for Wyoming residents under age 65

There are no federal rules to ensure access to Medigap plans for people under age 65. According to Medicare’s plan finder tool, there are no insurers offering Medigap plans to beneficiaries under age 65 in 2025.¹⁶

However, the Wyoming Health Insurance Pool provides guaranteed-issue coverage for applicants who are unable to obtain Medigap coverage due to medical underwriting.

Wyoming is one of several states where state-run high-risk pools are still operational, with supplemental insurance coverage available to Medicare beneficiaries who are unable to obtain Medigap insurance policies.¹⁷ Wyoming enacted legislation in 2019 that extends the operation of the Wyoming Health Insurance Pool through 2030.¹⁸

Original Medicare does not cover outpatient prescription drugs. But Medicare beneficiaries can get coverage for prescription drugs via a Medicare Advantage plan, an employer-sponsored plan (offered by a current or former employer), or a stand-alone Medicare Part D prescription drug plan. In areas where Medicare Advantage plan enrollment is lower, Medicare Part D prescription drug plan enrollment for stand-alone plans tends to be higher.¹

As of July 2024, almost 92,000 Wyoming Medicare beneficiaries were enrolled in Part D prescription coverage. Most of them — more than 72,000 — had stand-alone Medicare Part D prescription drug plans, while about 19,000 were enrolled in Medicare Advantage plans that had integrated Part D prescription coverage.¹

For 2025 coverage, there are 16 stand-alone Medicare Part D prescription drug plans (PDPs) available in Wyoming, with premiums starting at $0 per month.⁴

Medicare Part D prescription drug enrollment is available when a person is first eligible for Medicare, and the same fall Annual Enrollment Period that applies to Medicare plans is also used for Medicare Part D prescription drug plans: Beneficiaries can enroll in a Medicare Part D prescription drug plan or switch to a different plan between October 15 and December 7, with coverage effective the first of the following year.

It’s recommended that beneficiaries use Medicare’s plan finder tool each year to actively compare the available options and see how each plan will cover their prescription drugs in the coming year; plans change from one year to the next, and so do beneficiaries’ medication needs. A more costly plan in terms of monthly premiums might work out to be the best option, due to lower out-of-pocket costs when the enrollee fills prescriptions throughout the year.

If you have questions about Medicare eligibility in Wyoming or need help with Medicare coverage enrollment in Wyoming, you can reach out to the Wyoming Insurance Department. They have a page devoted to health coverage for Medicare beneficiaries, which includes information about Wyoming’s State Health Insurance Information Program.

The Medicare Rights Center is a nationwide service, with a website and call center, that can provide information and assistance with a variety of Medicare-related questions.

This guide to how Wyoming Medicaid can provide assistance to Medicare beneficiaries with limited financial means is a useful resource for Medicare beneficiaries in Wyoming and their caregivers.