Sunnyside skews young. Census survey estimates put its 65-and-older population somewhere around 1,600 out of roughly 16,800 residents, about one in ten. Countywide, close to half of Yakima County's Medicare enrollees are in Medicare Advantage and other health plans; CMS doesn't publish a Sunnyside figure. The date to circle is December 31, 2026, the last day the old plan pays.
Sunnyside and Yakima County side by side
| Sunnyside | Yakima County | |
|---|---|---|
| Population, April 1, 2026 (OFM) | 16,790 | 265,775 |
| Age 65 and older | about 1,600 (ACS, margin plus or minus 380) | 42,545 (OFM 2025) |
| People with Medicare (CMS, July 2026) | not published by city | 46,979 |
| Share in Medicare Advantage and other health plans | not published by city | 46.5% |
| Share with both Medicare and Apple Health | not published by city | 23.7% |
Sources: WA OFM; U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 table B09020; CMS Medicare Monthly Enrollment, July 2026. County shares computed from CMS counts.
The city figure has a wide margin because the Census sample for a town this size is small. The county numbers are firmer, and they say nearly half of county Medicare enrollees were in Medicare Advantage and other health plans in July 2026 and almost a quarter also have Apple Health. That second group gets extra protections, covered near the end.
Example: a Sunnyside retiree's last weeks of 2026
This is a made-up person, built to show how the dates work. It is not a real client.
Example: Maria is 71 and lives in Sunnyside. She has Medicare Parts A and B and a Medicare Advantage plan with drug coverage. This fall a letter arrives saying the plan is leaving her area after December 31.
- Late October. She pulls together three lists: her doctors (including a cardiologist she sees in Yakima), her five prescriptions with doses, and the pharmacy she uses. She keeps the plan's letter and its envelope in the same folder.
- Early November. She runs her drug list through Medicare Plan Finder for 2027 and sees two routes. One is a different Medicare Advantage plan; for that she would need to confirm Astria Sunnyside Hospital, her clinic and the Yakima cardiologist are in its 2027 network. The other is Original Medicare with a stand-alone Part D plan and, if she wants one, a Medigap policy.
- Mid-November. If she leans toward Original Medicare, now is a sensible time to apply for Medigap. Washington's insurance regulator, OIC, tells people with a plan-leaving letter to apply no earlier than November 1. Under RCW 48.66.055 the insurer can't refuse her or charge more for her heart history, and the policy would start when the old plan stops.
- By December 31. Whatever she picks, she signs up before the year ends so the new coverage starts January 1. Medicare's regular open enrollment closes December 7, but because her plan is ending she has a special enrollment period that opens December 8.
Neither route is the right answer for everyone. The point of the example is the order: lists first, comparison second, application well before New Year's Eve.
And if Maria does nothing?
On January 1, 2027, Medicare would put her in Original Medicare automatically. Her hospital and doctor coverage under Parts A and B would continue. Her drug coverage would not, because it was part of the plan that ended. She would pay full price at the pharmacy until a Part D plan began.
She would still have until February 28, 2027 to choose. A choice in January would take effect February 1, a choice in February on March 1. The Medigap no-underwriting window would stay open until March 4, 2027. After those dates, the easy doors close: Medigap insurers can ask health questions again, and long gaps in drug coverage can bring a Part D late penalty that lasts as long as you have Medicare drug coverage. The statewide guide lays out each window in detail.
The hospital on Tacoma Avenue
Astria Sunnyside Hospital, at 1016 Tacoma Avenue, is the one hospital inside city limits in state DOH data, and CMS classifies it as a critical access hospital, the federal category for small rural hospitals. If you see specialists in Yakima, check both ends of that trip when you look at a plan's network.
Getting there without a car: People For People's Community Connector buses don't charge a fare. Route 200 runs from Sunnyside to Yakima through Granger, Zillah, Toppenish and Wapato, and also out to Grandview and Prosser. Route 201 links Mabton, Grandview and Sunnyside, and comes in a large-print schedule. Adults 60 and over can also book People For People's door-to-door service two business days ahead at 509-457-1111.
If you also have Apple Health
If you get Extra Help, CMS will place you in a stand-alone drug plan when your Medicare Advantage plan ends, unless you've already picked Part D for 2027, and you won't owe the late penalty. With Medicaid or Extra Help you can also change drug plans once a month. People with full Apple Health can look at Apple Health Medicare Connect, the state's name for integrated dual plans, where offered. If paying Medicare premiums is a struggle, HCA's Medicare Savings Programs have no asset test.
Help close to home
Southeast Washington Aging and Long Term Care runs a Community Living Connections office in nearby Grandview at 204 Port Point West (509-402-0334). For Medicare counseling, call SHIBA's statewide line at 800-562-6900, weekdays 8:30 to 4:30. OIC's listing for the Yakima County SHIBA sponsor said on October 26, 2026, "Currently not accepting appointments. For assistance, call Medicare at 1-800-633-4227," so phone first instead of driving to Yakima. 1-800-MEDICARE answers 24 hours a day, except some federal holidays.
Your plan's letter sets your dates, and federal Medicare rules plus Washington law set your options; before you sign anything, confirm with 1-800-MEDICARE, SHIBA or a licensed agent.
