Free Medicare Help for Arkansas Residents, by Phone or Video
Lara is licensed in Arkansas and works with clients from Little Rock to the Delta without either party driving anywhere. Her help costs nothing. She is paid by insurance carriers and the price of your plan is the same either way. What you get is a comparison across several companies, a check of your doctors and prescriptions, and someone who answers when you call next year. Call (818) 472-5484.
Medicare Basics in Arkansas
Roughly 690,000 Arkansas residents are enrolled in Medicare as of early 2026. About 47 percent choose Medicare Advantage, a bit below the national average, while the rest keep Original Medicare, often paired with a Medigap plan and Part D drug coverage. That balance matters. In much of rural Arkansas, provider networks are thin enough that the freedom of Original Medicare is worth the extra premium, while in the larger metros an Advantage plan can be a strong fit. The Arkansas Senior Health Insurance Information Program, AR SHIIP, run by the Arkansas Insurance Department, offers free counseling. Lara complements that with plan specific enrollment help. The 2026 numbers for Arkansas, from the official CMS Landscape file: 56 distinct Medicare Advantage plans are offered in at least one Arkansas county, 43 of them with a $0 monthly premium where offered, plus 35 Special Needs Plans. The in network out of pocket maximums on those plans run from $3,350 to $9,250, with a median of $6,700. What is actually available depends on your county, which is exactly what we check at your address (Goulson analysis of CMS CY2026 Landscape data).
Medicare Open Enrollment Runs October 15 to December 7, 2026
The Annual Enrollment Period for 2027 coverage runs October 15 to December 7, 2026, and changes take effect January 1, 2027. Review your Annual Notice of Change in September. Drug formularies and networks change every year, and the difference between two plans often shows up in a single prescription tier.
Arkansas Medigap Rules You Should Know
First, Arkansas is one of only nine states where Medigap premiums cannot vary based on age for enrollees 65 and older, so your rate will not climb simply because you get older. Rates can still change for other reasons, such as overall rate increases or tobacco use. Second, since July 2018, insurers must offer at least one Medigap plan to Medicare beneficiaries under 65. Most offer Plan A, and premiums for under 65 enrollees can be significantly higher. Anyone who enrolled before 65 gets a fresh Medigap open enrollment window at 65. Third, Arkansas has no birthday rule, so switching Medigap plans outside a protected window usually means medical underwriting. It pays to get the first choice right.
Serving Little Rock, Fayetteville, Fort Smith, and All of Arkansas
Little Rock and Pulaski County have the widest plan availability in the state. Fayetteville and northwest Arkansas have grown quickly, and carrier participation there has followed. Fort Smith and the river valley have a smaller lineup, and rural counties smaller still. Plan availability varies by county, and remote service reaches every county in the state.
Why Use an Independent Agent Instead of Calling Carriers
A carrier shows you only its own plans. An independent agent compares options across multiple carriers, checks your doctors and prescriptions against each plan, and supports you all year, not just at signup. Medicare also pays for very little long term care, which is a separate conversation worth having early.
Talk to a Licensed Agent About Your Arkansas Medicare
Medicare is easier when someone reads the fine print with you. Lara Goulson is licensed in Arkansas and ten other states, compares plans from multiple carriers, and stays available after you enroll, when the questions about claims, drug tiers, and provider changes actually show up. There is no fee for any of it. Carriers pay agent compensation, so a Arkansas resident pays exactly the same premium whether they enroll through Lara, through a call center, or on their own.
Call or text (818) 472-5484 for a free Arkansas Medicare review. No cost, no obligation, and your premium is the same either way.
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