Gladstone and the Northland around it
Gladstone is in Clay County and is almost completely surrounded by Kansas City, Missouri (Wikipedia). People here also use North Kansas City, Liberty, Pleasant Valley, Riverside and the Barry Road corridor for doctors, pharmacies and family. A lot of life happens along North Oak Trafficway and Highway 152.
Medicare Advantage and Part D drug plans are sold by county. Gladstone and the Kansas City neighborhoods around it are in Clay County, so the plan list is usually the same. The Northland also stretches into Platte County, and that list can differ a little. We confirm yours from your ZIP code and street.
Hospitals people in Gladstone use
- North Kansas City Hospital (NKC Health), 2800 Clay Edwards Dr, North Kansas City, a few minutes south.
- Saint Luke's North Hospital, Barry Road, 5830 NW Barry Rd, Kansas City.
- Liberty Hospital, 2525 Glenn Hendren Dr, Liberty, now part of The University of Kansas Health System.
Three hospitals, three different owners, three sets of contracts with Medicare Advantage plans. That is why we never assume a plan that works at one Northland hospital works at the next.
What happened on the north side in 2026
NKC Health posted that, starting October 1, 2026, it is out of network for UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage plans, including AARP-branded plans. The same notice says it expects to accept Original Medicare, Medicare Supplements and Humana Medicare Advantage in 2027 (NKC Health, as of August 2026). Across town, Saint Luke's says it will leave Aetna Medicare Advantage plans on January 1, 2027 (Saint Luke's, as of October 2026).
We share these because they are dated and public. They may change again, and other changes may come that we have not listed. The lesson is not "avoid this plan" or "pick that one." The lesson is that networks change every year, and someone should check yours every fall. That is what we do.
If your hospital leaves your network: what to do, in order
- Keep the letter. Your plan or hospital should notify you. The date the change takes effect matters.
- Find out your plan type. With a PPO, you can often still go, but you pay more and may need approval first. With an HMO, out-of-network care is usually not covered except in an emergency. NKC Health's own notice describes both cases.
- Ask about continuity of care. If you are in the middle of treatment, such as cancer care or a planned surgery, your plan may approve a period of continued in-network coverage. The plan decides, so you have to ask.
- Plan your switch for the right window. Open Enrollment runs October 15 to December 7 each year, with changes starting January 1 (medicare.gov). If you are already in a Medicare Advantage plan, you also get one change between January 1 and March 31.
- Call us before you change anything. Switching in a hurry can cause a new problem, like losing a doctor on the other side of town or changing your drug costs. We check all of it first.
One more thing. Emergency care is covered no matter what the network says. If you need an ambulance, do not stop to think about contracts.
Got a letter about your hospital or your plan? Call us first. We read it with you, check your doctors against the plans we offer, and tell you plainly whether you need to do anything. Call (816) 307-6165 or book a free review.
Why some people choose a Supplement instead
A Medicare Supplement (Medigap) has no network. If a Northland hospital and an insurance company part ways, your Supplement is not affected, because it pays alongside Original Medicare at any provider who takes Medicare. The trade-off is a higher monthly premium and no built-in drug coverage, so you add a Part D plan. Medicare Advantage usually costs less each month and often includes extras, but it comes with a network and approval rules. Neither is right for everyone. We walk through both with your own doctors in front of us. This year's figures are on our Medicare costs page.
Signing up for Parts A and B
Social Security, not Medicare and not us, handles signing up for Parts A and B. Most people do it online at ssa.gov or by phone at 1-800-772-1213. Gladstone does not have its own Social Security office.
The closest Social Security office for most Northland residents is the Kansas City North office. Confirm the address and hours with the ssa.gov office locator before you go.
Social Security moves offices from time to time, so the locator is the safest place to check.
Veterans in Gladstone
If you served, the nearest VA hospital is the Kansas City VA Medical Center at 4801 Linwood Blvd in Kansas City, Missouri, across the river. The Excelsior Springs VA Clinic at 2366 Vintage Dr offers primary care closer to the Northland, and the Dwight D. Eisenhower VA Medical Center in Leavenworth, Kansas is another option for hospital care. The question we hear most from Northland veterans is whether Medicare is worth having on top of VA care. VA covers you inside VA facilities. Medicare can cover you at North Kansas City Hospital or Saint Luke's North, where VA alone usually does not, and it can help a spouse. We explain the pieces, including TRICARE For Life and CHAMPVA, on our veterans page.
Missouri rules and free help
Missouri has an anniversary rule for Medicare Supplement plans. Each year, within 30 days before or after your policy anniversary, you may switch to the same plan letter with another company without health questions (Missouri Department of Commerce and Insurance). Kansas does not have this rule. See how the two states compare.
For free counseling that does not sell anything, call Missouri SHIP at 800-390-3330 or visit missouriship.org. It used to be called CLAIM.
How we work with people in Gladstone
We are independent, which means no single insurance company tells us what to recommend, and we are based right here in Kansas City. We do not keep an office in Gladstone. Today we help Northland residents by phone and video, and starting in January 2027 you can also meet with us in person by appointment when our office reopens. Our help is free, and we compare plans from many insurance companies, at the same price you would pay going direct. We are here all year, which matters most in a year like this one. When a letter arrives, call us first.
Call us first
Tell us a little about you and we will call you back during business hours.
Questions people ask us
Is there a Medicare office in Gladstone?
No. Medicare does not have local offices, and we are not a government office. Social Security handles Part A and B sign-up. The closest Social Security office for most Northland residents is the Kansas City North office. Confirm the address and hours with the ssa.gov office locator before you go. You can also apply online at ssa.gov or call 1-800-772-1213. For help choosing a plan, call us or Missouri SHIP.
My hospital left my plan's network in the middle of the year. What can I do?
First, do not panic and do not drop anything yet. Call us. Depending on your plan type you may still be covered at a higher cost, you may qualify for continued care during active treatment, and you can change plans for next year during Open Enrollment from October 15 to December 7. Emergency care is always covered.
Is North Kansas City Hospital in network for my plan?
It depends on the plan and the year. NKC Health posted that it left UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage plans on October 1, 2026. A Medicare Supplement is not affected, because it works with any hospital that takes Medicare. Give us your plan name and we will check.
Do you have an office in Gladstone?
We do not have a Gladstone office. We help Gladstone and the rest of the Northland by phone and video for now. In January 2027 our Kansas City office reopens, and in-person appointments start again then.
Gladstone is surrounded by Kansas City. Are my plan choices the same?
Mostly yes. Gladstone is in Clay County, and so is the part of Kansas City around it, so the Medicare Advantage and drug plan list is usually the same. If a friend lives in the Platte County part of the Northland, their list may differ a little.
Does it cost anything to work with you?
Nothing. There is no fee for our help, and the insurance company pays us the same way whether or not you use an agent. Your premium is identical to what you would pay going direct.