How much will Costco Medicare Plans cost and when will they be available?

C ostco is preparing to make a major move into the healthcare insurance market, with the retailer set to offer its own co-branded Medicare products through a partnership with nonprofit insurer SCAN Group.

The announcement has generated considerable interest among older Americans, particularly Costco members who may be wondering how much the plans will cost and when they can actually sign up.

The short answer is that Costco has not yet announced specific premiums, deductibles or other out-of-pocket costs for the new plans.

The company and SCAN also have not publicly identified the exact states where the initial products will be offered or provided a firm enrollment date. The launch remains subject to regulatory approval.

The partnership, announced August 18, 2026, will initially involve Medicare Advantage plans in two states and a Medicare Supplement , or Medigap, product in a third.

The companies are targeting a potential market of roughly five million Medicare beneficiaries during the initial rollout.

That means consumers should be careful about headlines suggesting that a particular Costco Medicare plan already has a confirmed price. Those details have not been finalized publicly.

What could Costco's Medicare plans include?

The proposed offering is designed to combine SCAN's experience in Medicare insurance with Costco's existing healthcare infrastructure.

Potential benefits could include access to pharmacy services, over-the-counter products, vision care and hearing-related benefits, although the precise benefits will depend on the individual plans ultimately approved by federal regulators.

Costco already has an established relationship with Medicare Advantage beneficiaries through its retail operations.

The retailer says it accepts Medicare Advantage prepaid benefits cards at its registers, with eligible cards potentially covering items such as over-the-counter products, vitamins, hearing and optical products and certain food purchases, depending on the individual's insurance plan.

The new insurance products would be different from simply using an existing Medicare Advantage card at Costco, however.

They would be insurance plans offered in partnership with SCAN, rather than a new Medicare benefit automatically available to every Costco member.

Another important point is that a Costco membership will not simply be bundled into the Medicare insurance plan.

Federal rules restrict Medicare Advantage insurers from offering certain non-health-related incentives as part of a plan, and reports indicate that the new coverage will not include a Costco membership.

When will Costco Medicare plans be available?

The exact launch date remains unknown. Costco and SCAN must receive the necessary regulatory approval before the products can be sold, meaning prospective customers will need to wait for further details.

The timing is particularly significant because Medicare Advantage plans operate on an annual cycle. CMS has already finalized its payment policies for 2027, with the agency projecting a 2.48% average increase in payments to Medicare Advantage plans compared with 2026.

Once Costco and SCAN disclose their approved plans, consumers will need to compare them against other Medicare Advantage and Medigap options available in their area.

Premiums are only one part of that calculation: provider networks, prescription coverage, deductibles, copayments, annual out-of-pocket limits and additional benefits can all substantially affect the overall value of a plan.

For now, therefore, there is no confirmed Costco Medicare premium to quote and no definitive nationwide launch date. The initial rollout is expected to be limited, with expansion potentially following if the pilot proves successful.

Prospective customers can monitor Costco's healthcare partnerships and Medicare information from CMS for official updates as the plans move through the approval process.