Medicare Plans in Killeen, Temple, and Bell County for 2027

Bell County has two very different centers of gravity. Killeen and Harker Heights grew up around Fort Hood, and many soldiers who served there stayed to retire. Temple, to the east, is a regional medical hub where people from across Central Texas go for specialists and hospital care. Belton, Salado, Nolanville, and the farm country in between round out a county where your Medicare choice for 2027 depends a lot on who you are and where you get care.

Bell County's 2027 options

CMS's 2027 plan data shows 21 Medicare Advantage plans in Bell County, offered by 4 insurance companies. 11 have a $0 monthly premium, and 14 include Part D drug coverage.

Out-of-pocket maximums range from $4,500 to $9,850. That gap matters. A $0 premium plan with a high out-of-pocket limit can cost more in a year with a surgery or hospital stay, so look at both numbers before you pick.

With only 4 companies in the market, each plan's network carries real weight. If you see doctors in Temple but live in Killeen, or the other way around, check that each one is in network by name.

Military retirees: start with TRICARE

If you retired from the military, your Medicare decision starts in a different place. TRICARE For Life works together with Medicare, and you must have both Part A and Part B to get it. Dropping or delaying Part B can put your TRICARE coverage at risk.

Some retirees still compare Medicare Advantage or drug plans, but how they fit with TRICARE varies, and a plan that looks good on paper may add little. Our guide to Medicare and TRICARE For Life in Texas walks through how the two work together. If you also use VA health care, keep in mind that VA and Medicare are separate programs with separate rules.

Not military? A simple checklist

Your Medicare Advantage choices are set by the county you live in. If you live in Coryell, Lampasas, Milam, or Falls County and come into Bell County for care, compare the plans offered where you live, not in Bell. If you live up I-35 in Waco, see our McLennan County Medicare guide.

Before you compare, write down:

• Every doctor and specialist you see, and which city they're in
• The hospital you'd want to use
• Your pharmacy
• Your prescriptions and doses

Then check each one against the plans in your ZIP code on the Medicare.gov Plan Finder. If you're weighing a plan against Original Medicare with a Medigap policy, our Medicare Advantage vs. Original Medicare in Texas guide lays out the trade-offs.

Our guide to the Annual Notice of Change shows what to look for in that letter.

If you have Medicare and Medicaid

Bell County has 12 Dual Special Needs Plans for people who qualify for both programs, plus 2 plans for certain chronic conditions and 3 for people who live in a nursing home. If money is tight, see our guides to help paying for Part B in Texas and how Medicare and Medicaid work together in Texas.

For drug coverage only, there are 10 stand-alone Part D plans in Texas for 2027, with premiums starting at $5.30 a month. Our 2027 Part D guide has more.

Key dates

Date	What happens
Oct. 15 – Dec. 7, 2026	Annual Enrollment Period: change plans for 2027
Jan. 1, 2027	New plan coverage starts
Jan. 1 – Mar. 31, 2027	One-time switch if you're in Medicare Advantage

For more on the fall deadline, see our 2027 annual enrollment guide for Texas.

Free local help

The Central Texas Area Agency on Aging in Belton (254-770-2345, or toll-free 800-447-7169) serves Bell, Coryell, Hamilton, Lampasas, Milam, Mills, and San Saba counties. For free, unbiased Medicare counseling, call HICAP at 1-800-252-9240. You can also call 1-800-MEDICARE, compare every plan for your ZIP code on Medicare.gov, or see all Texas counties on our Medicare plans by county page.