In short
- Sarpy County had 30,358 residents 65 and older in 2025, up 24.9% from 24,298 in 2020 (Census).
- Your Initial Enrollment Period is seven months, centered on the month you turn 65.
- The Sarpy County VA Clinic on Jersey Street opened September 6, 2024. VA care and Medicare are separate, and many veterans use both.
- For 2027, Sarpy County has 24 standard Medicare Advantage plans, down from 29, and Medica is leaving.
Papillion is about 45 miles and 55 minutes northeast of Bill Jurey's office in Lincoln, by I-80. Bill offers phone and video meetings across the Omaha suburbs, and you can come to 285 S 68th St Place whenever you are in Lincoln. Like any Medicare agent, he is paid by the insurance companies, so there is no cost to you.
The Sarpy County seat had 25,127 residents on July 1, 2025 (Census Bureau), and about 16.5% are 65 or older (American Community Survey, 2020 to 2024). The bigger story is the county. Sarpy County had 30,358 residents 65 and older in 2025, up 24.9% from 24,298 in 2020. No other county on this site's list grew its 65+ population that fast. A lot of people here are signing up for Medicare for the first time.
How does Bill work with people in Papillion?
Mostly by phone or video, which suits people who are still working and squeezing a Medicare call into a lunch hour. First-time enrollment conversations often start the way Bill describes: "When I meet with somebody... we talk health care first, because that's generally the reason behind the meeting: 'Oh, hey, I'm turning 65, I'm losing my group health,' or 'I want to retire at 62, what are my options?' So the first thing we always look at is medications."
From there, the review moves to your doctors, then hospital and emergency costs, then your budget.
When do Papillion residents sign up for Medicare at 65?
About three months before your birthday month. Your Initial Enrollment Period lasts seven months: the three months before the month you turn 65, the birthday month, and the three months after.
| If you sign up... | Coverage starts |
|---|---|
| In the 3 months before your birthday month | The first day of your birthday month |
| In your birthday month or the 3 months after | The first day of the month after you sign up |
Two more dates matter. The Medigap open enrollment window, your one chance to buy a supplement with no health questions, opens with your first month of Part B at 65 or older and stays open six months. And if you are still working at an employer with 20 or more employees, the group plan generally pays first, so you may be able to delay Part B. The Initial Enrollment Period guide and Turning 65 in Omaha, which covers the same metro, go step by step.
If you are working past 65 with a health savings account, watch the calendar. You cannot contribute to an HSA once you have Medicare, and Part A (which most people get without paying a premium) can start up to six months before the month you sign up. If you enroll after 65, stop HSA contributions six months before you apply. The HSA and Medicare guide has the details.
Do veterans in Papillion use the VA clinic and Medicare together?
Many do. The Sarpy County VA Clinic at 1330 Jersey St opened on September 6, 2024, replacing the former Bellevue VA Clinic. It is open weekdays from 7 to 5 and added audiology, physical and occupational therapy, imaging and expanded eye care.
The split is simple: the VA pays for care at VA sites and for outside care it authorizes in advance, while Medicare handles the bills from non-VA doctors and hospitals. The VA urges veterans to enroll in Part B on time, since the Part B penalty gets larger the longer you wait. VA drug coverage counts as creditable for Part D, so you can delay a drug plan without a penalty while you have it. Military retirees with TRICARE For Life have different rules; the Bellevue page covers them, and Medicare for veterans explains both.
Which hospital should Papillion residents check in a plan network?
Start with CHI Health Midlands, at 11111 S 84th St (402-593-3000). Then check the Omaha hospitals you might use for specialty care: CHI Health's other hospitals, Methodist and Nebraska Medicine. A plan that includes one CHI hospital is not guaranteed to include another, and the doctor matters as much as the building. The Omaha location page lists them.
What changes for Sarpy County plans in 2027?
Fewer plans and one company gone. Sarpy County mirrors Douglas County for 2027: the CMS plan data lists 24 standard Medicare Advantage plans (29 last year), 15 special needs plans and no Medica. Aetna, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Nebraska, Devoted Health, Humana, UnitedHealthcare and Wellcare remain, several with a different number of plans than last year. About 38.4% of Sarpy County's 33,490 Medicare beneficiaries were in Medicare Advantage or a similar plan in June 2026 (CMS).
Premiums, networks, benefits and even which plans exist vary by county and change every year. If your Medica plan is ending, ask about your guaranteed issue right: for a limited time after the plan ends, you can buy certain Medigap policies without answering health questions.
Where can Papillion residents get local help?
- Volunteers Assisting Seniors, Omaha's Nebraska SHIP office (formerly SHIIP): 900 S 74th Plaza, Suite 403, 402-444-6617. Statewide: 1-800-234-7119.
- ENOA, Sarpy County's Area Agency on Aging, based in Omaha: 402-444-6536.
- Papillion 55+ Club, 1046 W Lincoln St at Papillion Landing (402-597-2059), and the La Vista Senior Center, 8116 Parkview Blvd (402-331-3455).
- 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227, TTY 1-877-486-2048): 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, for claims and enrollment questions.
When you are ready to compare plans, talk to Bill.
Frequently asked questions
Your Initial Enrollment Period lasts seven months: the three months before your birthday month, the birthday month and the three months after. Sign up in the three months before, and coverage starts the first day of your birthday month. If you or your spouse are still working at an employer with 20 or more employees, you may be able to delay Part B without a penalty.
Yes. The VA generally covers care at VA locations, such as the Sarpy County VA Clinic at 1330 Jersey St, and outside care it approves ahead of time. Medicare pays for care from doctors and hospitals outside the VA. The VA encourages veterans to sign up for Part B when first eligible to avoid a growing late penalty. And VA drug coverage is creditable, so it protects you from the Part D late penalty.
There is no single answer, because each plan sets its own network every year. CHI Health Midlands at 11111 S 84th St is part of CHI Health, but a plan can include one CHI hospital and not another. Look up CHI Health Midlands by name in each plan's 2027 directory, call to confirm, and check your own doctors and any Omaha specialists separately.
Sarpy's 2027 lineup matches Omaha's in the CMS plan data: 24 standard Medicare Advantage plans, five fewer than in 2026, and 15 special needs plans. Medica has none here for 2027. Standard plans come from Aetna, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Nebraska, Devoted Health, Humana, UnitedHealthcare and Wellcare, and your Annual Notice of Change lists what changes in your own plan. What you can buy, and what it costs and covers, depends on your county and changes every year.
Volunteers Assisting Seniors, the Nebraska SHIP office for the Omaha area, is at 900 S 74th Plaza, Suite 403, in Omaha (402-444-6617). ENOA, the Area Agency on Aging for Sarpy County, takes calls at 402-444-6536. Or call Nebraska SHIP's statewide number, 1-800-234-7119. None of them sell insurance or steer you to an agent.
Sources
- U.S. Census Bureau: Vintage 2025 county population by age, Nebraska (opens in a new tab)
- VA Nebraska-Western Iowa: Sarpy County VA Clinic (opens in a new tab)
- VA: VA health care and other insurance (opens in a new tab)
- CHI Health Midlands (opens in a new tab)
- Medicare & You 2027 (opens in a new tab)
- CMS: 2027 Medicare Advantage and Part D state fact sheets (opens in a new tab)
We do not offer every plan available in your area. Any information we provide is limited to those plans we do offer in your area. Please contact Medicare.gov or 1-800-MEDICARE to get information on all of your options. 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227) is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. TTY users can call 1-877-486-2048.
