Health systems
- Mayo Clinic Health System (Mankato, New Ulm, Fairmont)
- Avera (Marshall, Pipestone, Worthington)
- Sanford Worthington
- Hutchinson Health
- Ridgeview
Each contracts differently with each plan; we check your doctors first.
Medicare by region · Mankato, New Ulm, Marshall & Worthington
Medicare help across Southwest Minnesota
Mankato, New Ulm, Marshall, Worthington, Hutchinson and Pipestone — prairie towns with strong local hospitals and several Cost-plan counties.
No cost, no obligation, no pressure.
Request your free Medicare review
No cost, no pressure. Prefer to call? (702) 706-6564.
Medicare in the region
Southwest Minnesota & the Minnesota River Valley: what shapes the choice here
Southwest Minnesota has six of the state’s 21 Cost-plan counties, and in several of them a Cost plan is the only way to get a local network without giving up Original Medicare elsewhere. HealthPartners left Medicare Advantage in Lyon County for 2026, a reminder that rural Advantage lineups change.
Mayo Clinic Health System and Avera dominate care here, and each contracts differently with each plan. We put your clinic and your pharmacy into the comparison before we talk about premiums.
Cost-plan counties in this region (2026): McLeod, Sibley, Le Sueur, Pipestone, Rock, Yellow Medicine. See where Medicare Cost plans remain in Minnesota.
Counties: Blue Earth, Nicollet, Brown, Lyon, Nobles, McLeod, Sibley, Le Sueur, Pipestone, Rock, Yellow Medicine, Redwood, Watonwan, Martin.
Cities in this region
When you can enroll
Turning 65? Your Initial Enrollment Period is the 7 months around your birthday. Already on Medicare? Annual Election runs Oct 15–Dec 7; Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Jan 1–Mar 31. Cost plans, where sold, accept enrollment year-round.
Your options
Which kind of plan fits you?
Medicare Advantage
All-in-one Part C plans, often $0 premium, that use a local network — so your providers and prescriptions matter.
How Advantage worksMinnesota Medigap
Basic and Extended Basic supplements pair with Original Medicare and let you see any provider nationwide that accepts Medicare.
Basic vs Extended BasicMedicare Cost plans
Still sold in 21 Minnesota counties: a local network at home, Original Medicare everywhere else.
Where Cost plans remainPart D drug plans
Standalone drug coverage chosen around your medications. 2026 out-of-pocket cap: $2,100.
How Part D worksQuestions from Southwest Minnesota
Frequently asked questions
Which Southwest Minnesota counties still have Cost plans?
McLeod, Sibley, Le Sueur, Pipestone, Rock and Yellow Medicine, per the Minnesota Department of Commerce’s 2026 Cost plan guide. Blue Earth, Nicollet, Brown, Lyon and Nobles do not.
Does Mayo Clinic Health System in Mankato take Medicare Advantage?
It accepts Original Medicare, and it contracts with some Medicare Advantage plans and not others, changing year to year. We confirm the plan’s status with Mayo before you enroll.
How much does your help cost?
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
Let’s find the right plan for life in Southwest.
A short, friendly conversation — no pressure, no cost.
Written and reviewed by Darin Weidauer — licensed insurance agent (NPN 18580338), Gerontologist (USC Leonard Davis School of Gerontology), MBA, Registered Social Security Analyst, and 22-year U.S. Air Force veteran.Last reviewed September 3, 2026. Plan availability, benefits and costs change every plan year — verify current details at Medicare.gov, 1-800-MEDICARE, or Minnesota Aging Pathways at 800-333-2433.