Broward County, Florida · Medicare education

Medicare in Broward County, Florida

How the federal Medicare calendar applies in Broward County, what CMS data shows about the county's Medicare population, and where SHINE counsels locally.

Last updated October 6, 2026 · 4 min read

Broward County at a glance

From CMS's public county-level Medicare file. The figure describes the county as a whole, not any one person's options.

  • Medicare in Broward County (CMS data)

    CMS counts 382,284 people in Broward County as eligible for Medicare, and about 65% of them (247,340) are enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan (CMS, September 2026).

    Source: CMS — MA State/County Penetration, September 2026

Broward County's Medicare population

In CMS's September 2026 county file, Broward County had the second-largest Medicare-eligible population of Florida's 67 counties, after Miami-Dade.

About 65% of Broward's Medicare-eligible residents were enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan that month. The other residents get their Medicare in other ways, most often through Original Medicare. Neither figure is advice: the right path depends on your doctors, prescriptions and how you use care.

For a plain-language comparison of how the parts of Medicare fit together, read what Medicare is before you compare anything.

SHINE counseling in Broward County

SHINE (Serving Health Insurance Needs of Elders) is Florida's State Health Insurance Assistance Program, and its trained volunteers do not sell insurance. Its Broward listing names the Aging and Disability Resource Center in Sunrise as a weekday site, plus community and senior centers in places such as Hallandale Beach, Fort Lauderdale, Cooper City, Margate and Pembroke Pines on set days.

Several of those sites are appointment-only, so call before you go. Statewide SHINE contacts are on the Medicare in Florida guide.

Medicare enrollment periods in Broward County

Medicare's enrollment windows are set by federal rules, so they are the same in Broward County as everywhere else. The 2026 Annual Enrollment Period: October 15 – December 7, 2026. Changes made during the Annual Enrollment Period take effect January 1, 2027.

  • IEP

    Initial Enrollment Period

    The Initial Enrollment Period is your personal seven-month window around your 65th birthday. It opens three months before the month you turn 65 and closes three months after. This is when most people enroll in Medicare for the first time.

    More about the Initial Enrollment Period

  • AEP

    Annual Enrollment Period

    The Annual Enrollment Period runs from October 15 through December 7 each year. During AEP, people with Medicare can enroll in, change, or drop a Medicare Advantage plan or a Part D plan. Changes made during AEP take effect on January 1 of the following year.

    More about the Annual Enrollment Period

  • MA OEP

    Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period

    The Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period runs from January 1 through March 31. During this window, people already enrolled in Medicare Advantage can make one change: to a different Medicare Advantage plan, or back to Original Medicare, with or without a Part D plan. The change takes effect the first of the month after the plan gets the request.

    More about the Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period

  • SEP

    Special Enrollment Periods

    Special Enrollment Periods open when specific life events happen, such as losing employer coverage or moving to a new area. The timing depends on the event, and Medicare.gov explains the rules for each one.

    More about the Special Enrollment Periods

Where to get Medicare help in Broward County

These public programs are listed by official sources. Each one links to the page it came from.

  • SHINE counseling in Broward County

    Florida's SHINE program lists the Aging and Disability Resource Center in Sunrise as a Broward County counseling site, Monday through Friday, with appointments highly recommended. The listing's number for SHINE there is 954-745-9567.

    Source: SHINE — Broward County counseling sites

  • Medicare counseling (SHIP)

    Florida's State Health Insurance Assistance Program is SHINE (Serving Health Insurance Needs of Elders), offered by the Florida Department of Elder Affairs. Trained volunteers provide unbiased, confidential, one-on-one help with Medicare questions. Phone: 1-800-96-ELDER (1-800-963-5337).

    Source: SHINE (floridashine.org)

  • State insurance consumer help

    In Florida, the Division of Consumer Services at the Florida Department of Financial Services offers information and assistance for insurance consumers. Its helpline is 1-877-MY-FL-CFO (1-877-693-5236), Monday through Friday.

    Source: Florida Department of Financial Services

How a licensed independent agent helps in Broward County

A licensed independent insurance agent can explain how the parts of Medicare fit together, walk through the enrollment windows that apply to you, and review the plans the agent offers in Broward County. The review is educational, and there is no obligation to enroll.

Counselors at a State Health Insurance Assistance Program do not sell insurance. An agent can help with an application, but can only discuss the plans that agent offers, which is why the plan-availability disclosure appears next to the request button on this page.

Before a review, it can help to read about the Annual Enrollment Period and the Special Enrollment Periods that open after certain life events. The Medicare in Florida guide covers the statewide counseling program and consumer contacts.

Have questions? Review your options with a licensed agent.

Review your Medicare options in Broward County

Answer a few questions and a licensed agent will follow up to walk through the plans they offer in your area. Educational, no pressure, and no obligation to enroll.

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FAQ

Medicare questions from Broward County

Other county guides in Florida

The same educational guide for other Florida counties.

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