https://www.dailymail.com/news...hcare-americans.html

By LAUREN ACTON-TAYLOR, US NEWS REPORTER
PUBLISHED: 01:59 EDT, 19 August 2026 | UPDATED: 07:40 EDT, 19 August 2026

Costco has announced a shock move to sell Medicare plans in a bid to provide 'more accessible' healthcare to Americans.

The savings retail giant announced plans for a limited rollout of Costco-branded Medicare Advantage plans, the Wall Street Journal revealed.

The announcement said that Costco would be working with SCAN Group, a nonprofit insurer, to sell the plans in Costco stores.

Richard Stephens, the senior vice president for pharmacy at Costco, told the outlet that the company was inspired to help older people they have seen struggle with their coverage.

'[Costco members] know that if they buy something from Costco, it has been vetted, and we feel it’s the best thing in the category,' he said.

'That’s really what we’re trying to do with this particular product.'

SCAN and Costco told the outlet that the two companies would sell their jointly named Medicare Advantage products across two states, with a Medicare supplement in a third.

Executives with both companies that their market includes the five million Medicare enrollees. The exact locations where the plans will be available remains unclear, the Journal reported.

Sachin Jain, SCAN's chief executive, told the outlet that the Medicare Advantage plans will integrate with Costco’s offerings across prescription drugs, vision, over-the-counter medications, food and hearing products.

'We are trying to create something that’s incredibly simple for people to use that will enable them to seamlessly access their benefits,' he said.

The plans won't be sold as part of Costco memberships, under federal regulation, and are set to offer seniors a private version of Medicare benefits.

According to Stephens, the plans are a pilot plan and said: 'We plan to learn from it, and we plan to make sure that we have the right product for our members.'

The Daily Mail reached out to SCAN Group and Costco for comment.

The retail giant's pharmacy has been part of Costco's warehouse model for decades, offering prescription medications, vaccinations, health screenings and pet medications alongside its wholesale groceries and household goods.

It requires no membership to use in many states because pharmacies are generally required by law to be open to the public.

The move comes after Costco announced it was preparing to crack down on its controversial new 'VIP hour,' a perk that gives executive members exclusive access to stores before everyone else, leaving many regular members feeling pushed aside.

Beginning September 1, Costco employees will strictly enforce the policy after a two-month grace period, meaning shoppers with standard memberships could be turned away if they attempt to enter stores during the exclusive shopping window.

Under the rules, only executive members will be allowed to shop from 9am to 10am on weekdays and from 9:30am to 10am on Saturdays. All other members must wait until 10am before they can enter.

Costco insisted that the new policy is simply an added benefit for premium members. Critics argue it effectively penalizes everyone else by restricting access during the first hour of business.

The company said the perk is intended to reward its most loyal customers with a quieter and less crowded shopping experience.

“I don’t have time to shop, so I buy all my clothes where I buy my seafood.”

quote:

The move comes after Costco announced it was preparing to crack down on its controversial new 'VIP hour,' a perk that gives executive members exclusive access to stores before everyone else, leaving many regular members feeling pushed aside.

Beginning September 1, Costco employees will strictly enforce the policy after a two-month grace period, meaning shoppers with standard memberships could be turned away if they attempt to enter stores during the exclusive shopping window.

Under the rules, only executive members will be allowed to shop from 9am to 10am on weekdays and from 9:30am to 10am on Saturdays. All other members must wait until 10am before they can enter.

Good, I pay for the Executive membership and when I go to the store in those hours there are lots of non Executive members going in.

If they aren't going to enforce the hours benefit, what other benefits won't they enforce to premium paying members.

Saw the Medicare plan information on Fox News Channel looks interesting and if it works, it will help drive prices down for many people which would be great.

As a friend said "I worked 30+ years, paid the maximum every year into SS and Medicare, and now that I retired, Medicare isn't the free care it's made out to be. With Part A, B, D the monthly cost is greater than the cost for full coverage at work"

OF course corporate plans are subsidized but still Medicare can run you up to $800+ a month, per person, $1600 for two....

quote:

Originally posted by HRK:

OF course corporate plans are subsidized but still Medicare can run you up to $800+ a month

What costs are you including in that figure? I want to see how I compare, apples to apples (or bananas to bananas for SigMonkey).

quote:

Originally posted by V-Tail:

quote:

Originally posted by HRK:

OF course corporate plans are subsidized but still Medicare can run you up to $800+ a month

What costs are you including in that figure? I want to see how I compare, apples to apples (or bananas to bananas for SigMonkey).

Total monthly Medicare costs can easily reach or exceed $800 a month.

While standard baseline coverage can be lower, combining multiple parts of Medicare, adding private supplemental insurance, or having a high income pushes costs up.

How Costs Reach $800 or More

High Income Surcharges (IRMAA): Individuals with a modified adjusted gross income over $109,000 (or $218,000 for joint filers) pay an extra income-related monthly adjustment amount for Part B and Part D. High earners can pay up to $689.90 a month just for the Part B premium alone before adding other plans.

Comprehensive Supplemental Packages: If you have standard Original Medicare, combining the standard Part B premium ($202.90), a Medigap supplement plan ($150 to $220+), and a Part D prescription drug plan can bring total monthly premiums near or over $500 to $600.

Adding specialized dental, vision, or higher-tier drug coverage bridges the gap to $800.

Unpaid Part A: If you or your spouse did not work long enough to qualify for premium-free Part A (hospital insurance), buying it yourself adds up to $565 a month, which pushes total monthly costs well past $800 when combined with Part B

quote:

Originally posted by HRK:
Under the rules, only executive members will be allowed to shop from 9am to 10am on weekdays and from 9:30am to 10am on Saturdays. All other members must wait until 10am before they can enter.

Is this a new thing? I've had the Executive for years and never knew about this.

quote:

Originally posted by Gustofer:

Is this a new thing? I've had the Executive for years and never knew about this.

Not a new thing. Been that way as long as I can remember (Costco member for 29 years).

quote:

paid the maximum every year into SS and Medicare, and now that I retired, Medicare isn't the free care it's made out to be

Who or what ever said Medicare was free?

quote:

Originally posted by V-Tail:

quote:

Originally posted by Gustofer:

Is this a new thing? I've had the Executive for years and never knew about this.

Not a new thing. Been that way as long as I can remember (Costco member for 29 years).

Well that's good to know. I'll be going early from now on. Can't be shopping with the riff-raff.

My medicare parts B & D cost me more than the free market Christian Healthcare Ministries coverage I had before retirement. And the CHM coverage was better!

Next year when IRMAA drops off, it will still cost more than I was paying for CHM.

quote:

Originally posted by 229DAK:

quote:

paid the maximum every year into SS and Medicare, and now that I retired, Medicare isn't the free care it's made out to be

Who or what ever said Medicare was free?

As a friend said "I worked 30+ years, paid the maximum every year into SS and Medicare, and now that I retired, Medicare isn't the free care it's made out to be. With Part A, B, D the monthly cost is greater than the cost for full coverage at work"


Also -- Medicare contributions are not capped.

--K