Editorial Standards and How We Source Our Data
Medicare and health insurance decisions affect your money and your care, so every figure on this site comes from a named government source, every page is reviewed before it is published, and every page shows when it was last checked.
Who writes and reviews the content
Pages are researched and drafted by the Headwaters Health and Wealth Data Desk and reviewed by Lisa Asmussen, Medicare Broker and Licensed Insurance Agent in Brighton, Colorado, who was first certified to sell Medicare plans in 2018. The review checks three things: that every figure matches its source for the right year, that Colorado rules are stated correctly, and that the page follows the Medicare marketing rules below.
Where the numbers come from
We use primary government data, cited on the page where the figure appears and listed as a Dataset in the page's structured data.
- CMS Medicare Advantage and Part D Landscape files, contract years 2026 and 2027: Plan counts, premiums, out-of-pocket limits, drug deductibles and star ratings on every location page, the plan finder and the answers.
- CMS fact sheet: 2026 Medicare Parts A and B premiums and deductibles: Every Part A and Part B figure, the IRMAA brackets and the late enrollment penalty math.
- Medicare.gov: Coverage rules, enrollment periods, Medigap rights and the Medicare Savings Programs.
- Internal Revenue Service: Premium tax credit percentages, HSA limits and required minimum distributions.
- Colorado Division of Insurance: Colorado Medigap rules, the Colorado Option and consumer protections.
- Health First Colorado (HCPF): Colorado Medicaid and the Medicare Savings Program income and resource limits.
- Connect for Health Colorado: Open enrollment dates, Colorado Premium Assistance and marketplace rules for people under 65.
- U.S. Census Bureau, CDC PLACES and the CMS hospital file: Population, income and health measures and the hospital lists on the location pages.
When a figure cannot be confirmed in a primary source, it is left out rather than estimated. Examples on the site use hypothetical households and say so; they are never presented as real clients.
How plan data is shown
Plan tables list what CMS publishes for each county. A "$0 Part C premium" count and a "$0 combined premium for Parts C and D" count are different figures, and each page states which one it uses. Star ratings are labelled with their year. Plan availability and final pricing are always confirmed with the plan or Medicare.gov at enrollment.
Updates and corrections
Federal Medicare amounts are updated when CMS publishes the next year's figures, usually in the fall. Plan data is refreshed when CMS releases each contract year's landscape files, ahead of the Annual Enrollment Period from October 15 to December 7. Connect for Health Colorado figures are updated before its open enrollment from November 1. If you find an error, call (303) 887-8584 or use the contact page; confirmed corrections are made promptly and the page's review date changes.
How the agency is paid
Headwaters Health and Wealth is an independent agency. Insurance companies pay agents a commission when a policy is issued; you do not pay for Lisa's help, and the premium is the same whether you enroll with an agent or on your own. No company pays for placement on this site, and no page ranks plans as better or worse.
Medicare marketing rules we follow
Medicare content follows the CMS marketing rules for agents and brokers (42 CFR 422.2274): no superlatives such as "best" about plans, no claim to offer every plan, no implied government affiliation, and the required disclaimer wherever plan availability is discussed:
We do not offer every plan available in your area. Currently we represent 10 organizations which offer 106 products in your area. Please contact Medicare.gov or 1-800-MEDICARE to get information on all of your options. Headwaters Health and Wealth is not connected with or endorsed by the United States government or the federal Medicare program. Medicare has neither endorsed nor reviewed this information.
Verify an agent's license
Anyone selling insurance in Colorado must be licensed by the Colorado Division of Insurance. You can check any agent, including Lisa, in the state's public license lookup (choose Colorado, then search by name), or call the Division of Insurance at 303-894-7490.
Questions about our content
Who writes the content on this site?
Pages are researched and drafted by the Headwaters Health and Wealth Data Desk, the agency's research function, and reviewed for accuracy and compliance by Lisa Asmussen, Medicare Broker and Licensed Insurance Agent, before publication. The Data Desk is credited as author because Medicare and health insurance content is checked as an agency, not as one person's opinion.
How often are the numbers updated?
Federal Medicare amounts are updated when CMS publishes them, usually in the fall for the following year. Medicare Advantage and Part D plan data is refreshed when CMS releases each year's landscape files, before the Annual Enrollment Period. Every page shows the date it was last reviewed.
Does any insurance company pay to be featured?
No. No carrier pays for placement, and no page ranks or recommends a specific plan. Plan tables list what CMS publishes for each county, sorted by the measure stated above each table.
How do I verify that Lisa Asmussen is a licensed agent?
Use the Colorado Division of Insurance public license lookup (Sircon), search by name, and choose Colorado. You can also call the Division of Insurance at 303-894-7490.
I found an error. How do I report it?
Call (303) 887-8584 or send a message through the contact page with the page address and what looks wrong. Corrections are made as soon as they are confirmed, and the page's review date is updated.
Take the stress out of Medicare.
Book a free, no-obligation review with Lisa in Brighton, by phone or by video. Bring your questions; leave with answers.
992 South Fourth Avenue, Brighton, CO 80601 · (303) 887-8584
Content reviewed by Lisa Asmussen, Medicare Broker and Licensed Insurance Agent at Headwaters Health and Wealth in Brighton, Colorado, certified to sell Medicare plans since 2018 (8 years). How we source and review our content. Last updated .