Burien has a Social Security field office in town, at 151 SW 156th St. If your Medicare Advantage plan is leaving and money is part of the worry, that office and the programs it handles may matter more to you than any plan comparison. So this page starts with help, then gets to the rules.
Start with who can help
| Who | What for | How to reach |
|---|---|---|
| SHIBA (state program, free and unbiased) | Comparing 2027 options, Extra Help applications | 800-562-6900, weekdays 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. |
| 1-800-MEDICARE | Plan Finder help, enrolling by phone | 1-800-633-4227, TTY 1-877-486-2048, 24/7 except some federal holidays |
| Social Security, Burien office | Extra Help with drug costs | 151 SW 156th St; (866) 964-7380; listed hours Mon–Fri 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. |
| Washington Health Care Authority | Medicare Savings Programs, Apple Health | washingtonconnection.org |
| Burien Community Center, Senior and Older Adult Program | Classes and social programs, a place to ask about local resources | 14700 6th Ave SW; (206) 988-3700 |
| Community Living Connections, King County | Aging and disability services | 1-844-348-5464 |
Sources: WA OIC; Medicare.gov; SSA field office data (March 2026 file); King County human services directory. Call ahead; hours change.
About SHIBA locally: Solid Ground and the Chinese Information and Service Center are the program's King County sponsors, but OIC's office finder on October 26, 2026 showed both as not accepting appointments and pointed people to Medicare's number. Use the statewide line until that changes.
If your budget is tight, look at these before you pick a plan
It's easy to choose a plan on premium alone and never learn you qualified for help. CMS counted 58,692 King County residents in July 2026 who have both Medicare and Apple Health. Of those, 39,947 had full Medicaid and 18,745 had partial help, usually through a Medicare Savings Program. That is close to one in six people with Medicare in the county.
- Medicare Savings Programs (MSPs). Run by HCA. Depending on the level (QMB, SLMB or QI-1), they pay your Part B premium and, at the QMB level, deductibles and copays too. HCA says there is no asset test.
- Extra Help. A federal program that lowers Part D costs. If you qualify for Medicaid, an MSP or SSI, you get it automatically. Otherwise you apply through Social Security.
- Why it matters for a plan ending. People with Extra Help are moved by CMS into a stand-alone drug plan when their Medicare Advantage plan goes away, so they don't wake up January 1 with no drug coverage. They also don't owe the Part D late penalty, and they can change drug plans once a month.
- Full Apple Health? Washington's integrated plans for dual-eligibles are called Apple Health Medicare Connect, and full-benefit duals can join or switch an integrated plan monthly.
Apply early, so you have the answer before you lock in a 2027 choice.
Burien by the numbers
OFM estimates Burien had 53,470 residents in April 2026. The Census Bureau's 2020–2024 survey puts 8,213 of them at 65 or older (margin 714), about 15.9%, a bit above the 14.0% the same survey shows for King County as a whole. For King County overall, CMS counted 368,813 people on Medicare in July 2026, with 53.6% in Medicare Advantage and other health plans.
Burien also has a hospital on the state and federal lists: St. Anne Hospital on Sylvester Road SW, which CMS lists under the name Highline Medical Center. If you are thinking about another Medicare Advantage plan, look it up under both names when you check the 2027 network.
The federal rules, short version
Your plan must keep covering you until December 31, 2026. You can switch during Open Enrollment, which ends December 7, or during the special enrollment period your plan's exit gives you, December 8, 2026 through February 28, 2027. Pick something by December 31 and it starts January 1. Wait until January and it starts February 1.
Make no choice and Medicare enrolls you in Original Medicare on January 1. Without Extra Help, you'd have no drug plan, and 63 days or more without one can trigger a penalty added to your Part D premium for as long as you have Medicare drug coverage.
If you go to Original Medicare, Washington's guaranteed issue law lets you buy certain Medigap policies with no health questions. OIC says apply from November 1 on, and the right expires March 4, 2027. It doesn't apply if you move into another Medicare Advantage plan. A full walk-through, with the Medigap plan letters, is in our statewide guide.
One more: if you only have partial Medicaid help and a Medigap premium is out of reach, Original Medicare with a Part D plan and an MSP is one possible combination. Ask SHIBA to run your numbers.
To be clear about what this page is: a plain summary. Federal Medicare rules and Washington law decide the outcome, your plan's own notices fix your dates, and 1-800-MEDICARE, SHIBA or a licensed agent can confirm how it applies to you.
Burien questions
Can I apply for Extra Help at the Burien Social Security office?
I have Apple Health. Will I lose drug coverage when my plan ends?
Is St. Anne Hospital the same as Highline Medical Center?
Sources
- SSA field office data (CSV)
- WA HCA: Medicare Savings Program
- WA HCA: Apple Health Medicare Connect
- Medicare.gov: Part D costs, Extra Help, LEP
- Medicare.gov: Special enrollment periods
- CMS Medicare Monthly Enrollment, July 2026
- CMS CY2027 enrollment guidance (LIS reassignment)
- WA OIC: local SHIBA offices
- King County directory: Burien Senior and Older Adult Program
- CMS Hospital General Information
