When 2025 Medicare Open Enrollment (AEP) began, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) launched new features for its Medicare plan finder tool directly on its platform, Medicare.gov.
The purpose of this tool is to eliminate much of the manual work that needs to be done by beneficiaries in order to compare and decide on a Medicare Advantage (Part C) or Prescription Drug (Part D) plan. The new features launched in 2025 added provider network information to the tool’s comparison capabilities, as a way to make the process even easier than before.
However, this new feature resulted in confusion for many users.
On October 15th, 2025 (the first day of Open Enrollment), beneficiaries logged onto the official Medicare website, Medicare.gov, to find that the tool was not working as expected. Over the course of the day, thousands of users reported glitches and inaccuracies in provider network information that affected plan comparisons and made it difficult to decipher what plan changes needed to be made by enrollees.
This created confusion and frustration, not only for seniors looking for healthcare, but also caregivers assisting beneficiaries in completing Open Enrollment.
Though the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is already beginning the process of fixes and improvement, the situation raised an important question: is there such a place where beneficiaries can see accurate and up-to-date plan and provider network information, prescription drug coverage information, and pharmacy network participation, all with live support from a licensed Medicare insurance agent if they were to have questions?
That’s where Healthpilot comes in.
What Is a Medicare Plan Finder Tool?
The purpose of a Medicare plan finder tool is to help you compare different Medicare Advantage, Part D, or Medigap plans available in your area. Because these plans are offered by health insurance companies and not directly by CMS, there are many options and variations available to beneficiaries.
Sifting through all of the options available in your service area by hand is a daunting task, and one that is made much easier with the help of a Medicare plan finder tool like Healthpilot.
How to Use a Medicare Plan Finder Tool
When you start using Healthpilot, you will usually be asked to input your ZIP code, list your prescriptions, preferred providers, and pharmacies to get an idea of the coverage you’re needing. Once this information is gathered, the tool will automatically find and compare plans that cover your needs, including crucial information like estimated costs, pharmacy options, and star ratings.
Though they all function in similar fashions, not all Medicare plan finder tools are created equal. While this is the first year that Medicare.gov released theirs with provider networks included, third-party tools like Healthpilot have had these features for years, and are designed to be consistently user-friendly, transparent, and tailored to your personal situation.
Aside from being a highly trusted tool for Medicare plan finding and comparison, Healthpilot is also backed by attentive support staff. Whether you are experiencing issues with the platform, need help interpreting the comparisons given, or need assistance with signing up for your chosen plan, Healthpilot is here to help!
Why the Glitches Mattered
This issue isn’t specific to CMS. For many beneficiaries, an error produced by any Medicare plan comparison tool can result in far more than a simple inconvenience; they can have real consequences.
For example, a beneficiary might log into a plan finder tool and see inaccurate information about their provider being in-network for a particular plan. After signing up for the recommended plan, the patient discovers that is not in fact the case. The enrollee is then left with several choices on how to move forward:
- Change providers to someone who is in-network (which could result in changes to treatment or service).
- Continue seeing their preferred provider, but pay out-of-pocket.
- Start the process over and enroll in a plan that fits their needs. CMS has opened a Special Election Period for individuals who signed up for a plan based on incorrect information from Medicare.gov.
The bottom line is: if the recommendations given by a glitchy tool go unchecked, the result could be thousands of beneficiaries opting to enroll in a plan that does not adequately cover their needs, losing access to their preferred doctors, or severely overpaying for said inadequate coverage.
Medicare is a complicated landscape (and don’t we know it). In a system where prescription costs and provider access can vary widely from plan to plan, accuracy is everything. When you’re making decisions about your health, peace of mind shouldn’t be compromised.
How Healthpilot Helps You Find the Right Plan, Without the Guesswork
Healthpilot was created to simplify Medicare shopping and remove confusion from the process. Here’s how our platform works:
- Navigate to the first page of our Medicare plan finder tool.
- Start by entering your ZIP code and a few basic details about your healthcare needs.
- Healthpilot’s secure, user-friendly interface walks you through a quick questionnaire about your current coverage, prescriptions, and preferred doctors.
- Our system analyzes your information using trusted data sources. Unlike tools that rely on incomplete or outdated information, Healthpilot uses verified plan data directly from major carriers to help ensure that what you see is accurate and up to date.
- You will have the ability to compare plans based on the information you’ve inputted, as well as receiving personalized plan recommendations from our system.
Healthpilot exists to connect you with the Medicare Advantage and Part D plans that best fit your unique needs, factoring in drug costs, provider networks, and total annual expenses.
Once you have settled on a plan, you can also enroll directly from the Healthpilot platform (with real human help if you need it). Our licensed insurance agents are available to answer questions and guide you through every step of the enrollment process.
How Healthpilot Differs From Other Plan Finders
While the goal of both Healthpilot and other similar tools is to help people explore Medicare coverage, the approach and reliability differ in key ways:
Who Can Help Me Find a Medicare Plan?
Medicare Open Enrollment (AEP) runs from October 15 to December 7, 2025. If your current plan is changing (or disappearing) you’ll need to act before this window closes.
If you’re feeling overwhelmed by plan choices or unsure whether your prescriptions will still be covered next year, you’re not alone. Millions of Americans face the same uncertainty every year during Open Enrollment.
While government tools are an option that is available to you, platforms like Healthpilot exist to give you clarity, confidence, and control; with a user-friendly experience that helps reduce confusion. Plus, you can always speak directly with one of Healthpilot’s licensed insurance agents for free guidance.
What To Do If You Used a Glitchy Plan Finder
If you recently used a plan finder that may have produced a glitch, and you’re worried that the information you were given may have been inaccurate:
- Double-check your plan details through a trusted source (like Healthpilot).
- Confirm that your drug coverage and provider network matches your needs.
- Contact your insurance provider directly to verify your premium and deductible amounts (to go into effect January 1, 2026).
With Healthpilot, you can explore accurate, personalized, and up-to-date Medicare Advantage and Part D plan options; all in one place. No glitches. No confusion. Just clarity and confidence.