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You need the inpatient and hospital coverage of Medicare Part A, the outpatient and medical coverage of Part B, plus dental, vision, transportation, and meals. So you opt for a Medicare Part C (Advantage) plan. But which plan to select?
We’re here to help you navigate the Medicare maze. Considering budget and geographic availability, we vetted insurance providers to find options based on different needs. Here are our picks for the seven best Medicare Advantage plans from HMOs to PPOs and beyond.
- Best overall: Humana Gold Plus (HMO) | Skip to review
- Best HMO: Aetna Medicare Value Select Plan | Skip to review
- Best PPO: Cigna True Choice Medicare | Skip to review
- Best for hearing aid coverage: Wellcare No Premium | Skip to review
- Best HMO-POS for snowbirds: AARP Medicare Advantage from United Healthcare (UHC) | Skip to review
- Best for veterans: Humana USAA Honor (PPO) | Skip to review
- Best overall customer satisfaction: Anthem Medicare Advantage (Blue Cross Blue Shield) | Skip to review
We considered the following factors when deciding on the best basic Medicare Advantage plans:
- Vetting: The providers on our list have been vetted to ensure they align with Healthline’s brand integrity standards and approach to well-being. You can read more about our vetting process.
- Cost: Every Medicare Advantage provider on this list offers budget-friendly premiums, copays, and deductibles.
- Multi-state coverage: We included providers that serve national or wide coverage areas. Some of the plans highlighted are administered in specific local regions. However, similar plans can typically be acquired through each provider in other states they serve.
- Ratings and rankings: We cataloged rankings for each brand from the Centers for Medicare Services (CMS) and Trustpilot.
- Extra benefits offered: Part C plans are required, by law, to cover everything Original Medicare covers. The plans on this list also cover additional services that Original Medicare doesn’t pay for.
There is no average or estimated price for any Medicare Advantage plan. Each plan varies by state, health condition, insurance company, and a variety of other factors.
To get a quote for your premium, contact your chosen insurance company, HelloMedicare, or State Health Insurance Assistance Programs (SHIPs), which can help find the best plan for you.
Part C plans vary by location. Plans of the same name may have varying costs and provide varying benefits in different service areas. They may also have differing CMS ratings.
Best overall
- CMS rating: 3 to 4.5 out of 5 stars, depending on service area
- Trustpilot: 1.5 out of 5 stars
Why we chose it
Humana offers Medicare plans throughout the entire country and in Puerto Rico. This HMO plan includes health and drug coverage. It provides coverage for a wide range of extras, including preventive and comprehensive dental services, such as extractions and oral surgery.
It also covers vision, hearing, and over-the-counter (OTC) drugs. Hearing aids can be prohibitively expensive without insurance. If you need prescription hearing aids, this plan covers certain brands in-network with a several-hundred dollar copay. It’ll also pay for your eyeglass lenses and frames.
In addition, it provides coverage for non-emergency medical transportation, overseas medical emergency care, and fitness benefits.
Pros
- national provider
- low-to-no in-network copays
- includes coverage for comprehensive dental services
- includes other vision and hearing care extras, such as eyeglasses and hearing aids
Cons
- diagnostic tests like MRIs may have high copays
- ground ambulance services can cost a few hundred dollars out of pocket
Best HMO
- CMS rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars
- Trustpilot: 2.5 out of 5 stars
Why we chose it
Aetna is a national provider of Medicare Advantage plans. The Value Select Plan is a cost-effective option that has a $0 monthly premium.
You’ll pay $0 when you visit your primary care physician for checkups and physicals. Specialist appointments, physical therapy, and occupational therapy visits have small copays, which may vary by service area.
Emergency care visits are always covered with a copay. Urgent care visits are also always covered with a copay.
Pros
- national provider
- $0 monthly premiums
- covers vision, dental, hearing, and other extra services
Cons
- in-network maximum is high in some service areas
- plan not offered in Puerto Rico
Best PPO
- CMS rating: 3 out of 5 stars
- Trustpilot: 1.3 out of 5 stars
Why we chose it
Cigna offers Medicare Advantage plans in over 25 states, including Alabama, Illinois, North Carolina, and Pennsylvania. Cigna Medicare is also available in Washington, D.C.
Cigna True Choice Medicare has a $0 monthly premium. It provides in-network coverage for both healthcare and medications. In many service areas, this plan has a $7,300 maximum for in-network and out-of-network services. This is the maximum amount you will pay for healthcare within 1 calendar year.
With this plan, you’ll get in-network coverage for telehealth, non-emergency medical transportation, and medical emergencies abroad. You’ll also get dental, vision, and hearing care coverage.
Pros
- $0 monthly premiums
- $0 deductibles for healthcare and drugs
- $0 copay for primary care physician (PCP) visits
- provides coverage for over-the-counter (OTC) drugs and extras like dental, health, and vision
Cons
- doesn’t offer plans in all 50 states
- coinsurance for lab services are 20% in-network and 40% out-of-network
Best for hearing aid coverage
- CMS rating: 3 out of 5 stars
- Trustpilot: 1.4 out of 5 stars
Why we chose it
Wellcare administers Medicare plans in 37 states, including Kansas, Kentucky, New Jersey, and Texas. The Wellcare No Premium HMO plan has a $0 copay for in-network Beltone hearing aids. This stands in sharp contrast to many other Part C plans, which have copays of hundreds of dollars for these important devices.
In addition to hearing aid coverage, this $0 premium plan provides in-network coverage for dental, vision, and fitness benefits. Drug coverage is included, but a several hundred dollar deductible applies.
Pros
- $0 copay for Beltone in-network hearing aids
- $0 monthly premium
- covers vision, dental, and other extras
Cons
- deductible for drugs may be high in some areas
- not available in all 50 states
Best HMO-POS for snowbirds
- CMS rating: 4 out of 5 stars
- Trustpilot: 1.3 out of 5 stars
Why we chose it
Part C plans typically have local networks of providers that practice within one state or two neighboring states.
Older adults who enjoy frequent domestic travel or who have homes in multiple locations may benefit from HMO-POS plans. These plans include out-of-network coverage for healthcare professionals in Hawaii, Florida, or Arizona, where people may have second homes. You’ll need to apply for an HMO-POS where your primary residence is located.
AARP United Healthcare Medicare plans are available to AARP members and non-members in most states. United Healthcare offers a wide range of regional plans. We chose this HMO-POS plan because it has $0 monthly premiums, a $0 deductible for health services, and a $0 deductible for drug costs. The out-of-pocket maximum varies by service area.
There’s also in-network coverage for hearing aids, eyeglasses, contact lenses, and dental services.
Pros
- low out-of-pocket costs in-network
- provides some coverage for out-of-network services
- covered in-network extras include hearing aids, eyeglasses, and contact lenses (copays apply)
Cons
- out-of-network costs vary and aren’t listed; you can check with your plan to determine what you can expect to pay
Best for veterans
- CMS rating: 3.5 to 4.5 out of 5 stars, based on location
- Trustpilot: 1.5 out of 5 stars
Why we chose it
If you’re not a veteran but are eligible for Medicare and live in a service area where this plan is offered, you may wish to consider it. However, the Humana USAA Honor plan is designed primarily to enhance VA benefits. With this plan, veterans have a network of healthcare professionals they can see in addition to those they may visit within the VA system.
In addition to a $0 monthly premium, this plan covers a wide range of extras, including dental, vision, and hearing. It also includes coverage for non-emergency transportation to medical and healthcare appointments. With this plan, you’ll also get some coverage for worldwide medical emergency care.
Pros
- provides added services and coverage for veterans
- doesn‘t exclude non-veterans from coverage
- $0 monthly premium
- reduces Part B costs
- increases the number of covered healthcare professionals VA recipients can see
- covers the cost of non-emergency medical transportation and other extras
Cons
- Part D drug coverage isn’t included
- requires a copay for specialists
Best overall customer satisfaction
- CMS rating: 3 to 4 out of 5 stars, based on location
- Trustpilot: varies by state
Why we chose it
Blue Cross Blue Shield offers plans in almost every state. Plan names vary, and include identifiers like Anthem and Empire. This Anthem HMO plan has a $0 monthly premium, and covers medications as well as healthcare.
It provides in-network coverage for vision, dental, hearing, and OTC drugs. It also covers fitness benefits, worldwide emergency medicine, and telehealth appointments.
Your copay for emergency care is generally less than most of the other plans on our list. This plan also has $0 copays for hearing aids and for most commonly used prescription medications.
Pros
- $0 monthly premium
- $0 deductibles for health and medications
- $0 copay for brand name and generic drugs
- $0 copay for in-network hearing aids
Cons
- doesn’t offer plans in all 50 states
- high copay for occupational therapy and physical therapy
There are several dates to keep in mind for jumping into the Medicare pool:
- Your initial Medicare enrollment period: This is the 7-month window surrounding your 65th birthday: 3 months before your birthday month and 3 months after your birthday month.
- Medicare Advantage general enrollment period (GEP): If you’re already on Medicare, you can opt into Part C (Advantage) plans from January 1 through March 31.
- Medicare open enrollment: If you’ve missed the initial Medicare enrollment period, you can sign up or make changes to your Medicare benefits from October 15 through December 7.
Viewing your eligible plans
Private insurance companies administer Medicare Advantage (Part C) plans. It’s up to each company to decide where it offers its plans. Plan availability varies between states, cities, and local areas.
At Medicare.gov, you can determine your eligibility and start reviewing plans by entering your ZIP code. This will bring up a list of Part C plans offered in your area.
You’ll then have the option of comparing plan attributes, such as:
- monthly premium cost
- covered services, such as hearing, dental, and vision
- copays and coinsurance (your out-of-pocket costs per medical visit or treatment)
- annual deductibles (the amount you pay out of pocket before your plan starts to pay; your plan may have a separate deductible for health services and another for drug costs)
Premiums
Medicare Part C plan premiums don’t cover the standard Part B monthly premium. In 2024, the standard monthly premium for Part B is $174.70. This amount is typically taken out of your monthly Social Security income, but premiums aren’t typically considered pretax. You can deduct Medicare premiums from your taxes.
Prescriptions
When you’re researching Part C plans, you’ll be given the option of entering the medications you currently take. Not every Medicare Advantage plan includes Part D drug coverage. Those that do publish a list called a formulary. The formulary provides information about the drugs each plan pays for and the out-of-pocket costs you can expect to pay for your prescriptions.
Terms to know
- Parts: These are the four options offered federally by Medicare.
- Plans: These are private health insurance plans that offer additional Medicare benefits. They include Medicare Part C (Advantage), Part D, and Medigap, such as Plan G.
- Premium: This is the monthly payment for a Medicare Part plan. If you need different parts, you may be paying multiple premiums monthly.
- Copay: This is the set amount you pay for each doctor or specialist visit or for each particular prescription.
- Deductible: This is how much in total will need to come out of your income each year before your insurance starts to pick up the tab or you satisfy a deductible.
- Coinsurance: After you meet your deductible, this is the fixed percentage of the total bill you’ll have to pay out of pocket for a procedure, a visit to a doctor or specialist, or a prescription, apart from the majority the insurance pays.
- Formulary: This is a list of drugs covered by some Part C plans, including out-of-pocket costs you can expect to pay for prescriptions. If your plan has a formulary, it means it covers prescriptions. If you don’t see or hear of a formulary on your plan’s website or by calling, it doesn’t cover prescriptions.
There are several types of Medicare Advantage plans you may wish to consider. They include:
- PPO (preferred provider organization) plan: PPOs cover in-network andout-of-network providers, although you’ll pay more when you see a doctor outside of your local network
- HMO-POS (health maintenance organization with a point-of-service option): HMO-POS plans have a network of providers you choose from, plus they provide coverage for out-of-network services.
- HMO (health maintenance organization) plan): HMOs provide coverage for doctors and healthcare professionals within their own local networks.
- MMP (Medicare-Medicaid Plan): MMPs are not offered in every state, but they may be available to people who are eligible for both Medicare and Medicaid. Each state determines the financial eligibility requirements for the MMPs they administer
- SNP (special needs plan): If you’re eligible for both Medicare and Medicaid, you may qualify for an SNP. These plans are geared toward the needs of people with specific diagnoses, like heart disease or diabetes, or with financial needs.
Medicare Advantage plans provide coverage for services that Original Medicare doesn’t. Many Part C plans have $0 monthly premiums. If you want coverage for services such as dental, vision, and hearing care, Medicare Advantage may be the choice for you.
Many Part C plans also cover SilverSneakers gym memberships or other types of fitness benefits, which can represent significant monthly cost savings.
Unlike Original Medicare (Part A and Part B), Part C plans have localized networks. If you want to be able to see a doctor anywhere in the United States, Original Medicare may be a better option.
Many Part C plans have $0 monthly premiums. Some plans do have a monthly cost but offer more services or lower costs for line items like specialists.
Pros
- required by law to cover everything Original Medicare pays for
- provides coverage for services like dental care that Original Medicare doesn’t
- many plans have $0 monthly premiums
Cons
- have local rather than national networks
| Medicare Advantage | Original Medicare | Medigap | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Who manages the plan? | private insurers | federal government | private insurers |
| What Medicare parts are covered? | A, B, C, and sometimes D | A and B | A and B |
| Do I have to use a professional or service in network? | • many plans are in-network only • some plans pay a percentage of out-of-network coverage | • no network • coverage is limited to providers that accept Medicare | • no network • coverage is limited to providers that accept Medicare |
| Dental coverage | • varies by plan • many plans offer preventive dental • some also offer comprehensive dental benefits | • no routine coverage • may cover dental procedures needed while you’re an inpatient in a hospital | • no routine coverage • may cover 20% of the cost of dental procedures needed while you’re an inpatient in a hospital |
| Hearing coverage | • audiology and ENT services are covered • many plans cover the cost of hearing aids and hearing care within a network | • audiology and ENT specialist visits are covered • 20% of the cost of cochlear implants may be covered • hearing aids aren’t covered | • audiology and ENT specialist visits are covered • 20% of the cost of cochlear implants may be covered • hearing aids aren’t covered |
| Vision coverage | • covers everything Original Medicare covers • many plans also cover eyeglasses and contact lenses | • covers routine eye exams, and medically necessary treatments like cataract surgery • doesn’t cover eyeglasses or contact lenses | • covers 20% of the cost of routine eye exams and medically necessary treatments like cataract surgery • doesn’t cover eyeglasses or contact lenses |
| Prescription drug coverage | many but not all Part C plans fold in Part D (Rx drug) coverage | covers the cost of inpatient Rx, and some outpatient Rx that received through medical equipment, like nebulizers or infusion pumps | covers 20% of the cost of inpatient and outpatient Rx Original Medicare covers |
| Meal service coverage | some plans offer food delivery services | covers inpatient meals but not delivery services | no |
| Transportation coverage | • some plans offer non-emergency medical transportation • all plans cover some or all of the cost of ambulance services | • Part B covers ground ambulance transportation | • covers 20% of the transportation costs covered by Original Medicare |
| Mental telehealth coverage | yes | yes | yes |
| Gym membership discounts | many Part C plans include SilverSneakers gym memberships | no | no |
| Help paying copays and deductibles | some plans do, including SNPs (special needs plans) | no | yes |
Ready to choose an insurance plan? HelloMedicare connects you with an expert who can help you choose the plan that best meets your needs.
With Medicare Advantage, prior authorization is needed for some treatments or services. This is generally not the case for traditional Medicare.
This need for prior authorization can make Part C participants more susceptible to denials of coverage — even after paying for a service and awaiting reimbursement.
Part C plans have networks you must use in order to pay the lowest costs for your healthcare. In some instances, local hospitals and your current healthcare team members may not be included in your plan’s network.
Part C plan networks are also local, so national coverage will be out-of-network, and more expensive.
No hospital will ever turn a Medicare Advantage recipient away for emergency room services. If you become an inpatient, your bill may be astronomically high if the hospital is out of your plan’s network. For that reason, it makes sense to know what hospitals near you accept your plan and which don’t.
It’s more than four things. It helps to understand that Medicare only covers medically necessary services.
Original Medicare doesn’t cover hearing aids, eyeglasses, or contact lenses. It also won’t cover long-term custodial care in nursing homes, concierge care, or cosmetic surgery.
No one plan rises above the rest. Many Medicare Advantage plans are good options. If you’re in the market for a Part C plan, think about the plan attributes that are important to you, such as monthly premium cost, deductibles, and copays.
You can also check to see if the healthcare professionals you wish to continue using are in the plan’s network. Keep in mind that you have open enrollment windows each year. During these periods, you can change plans if you’re not happy with your current one or if your needs change.
Coverage for everything is a pretty big bill! Probably not. Medigap plans only cover a portion of what Original Medicare covers. Medicare Advantage plans cover lots of extras, but they may not provide coverage for certain services, like long-term nursing home care or cosmetic surgery.
Over half of all states in the United States have at least one 5-star Medicare Advantage plan. These states include New York, North Carolina, West Virginia, and Wisconsin. Since plan offerings are based on ZIP code, that doesn’t mean you’ll automatically have access to one.
Medicare’s find a plan tool lets you sort Part C plans by star rating.
When you first become eligible for Medicare, you have the option of choosing a Medigap plan or a Part C plan. This can be confusing. It’s hard to know which will serve you best in the long run.
Some people choose Medigap instead of Part C because they don’t want to be tied down to a network. Other people like knowing their out-of-pocket costs for healthcare will be covered.
If you’re not concerned about dental care and the other things Part C covers, you may wish to buy Medigap instead. Keep in mind that you can’t be turned down for Medigap during your initial open enrollment period. After that, you may no longer be able to access a plan.
Medicare Advantage (Part C) plans are available throughout the United States. These plans vary by cost, and by the healthcare services they cover.
Choosing a plan is an important decision. When shopping for Part C plans, it’s wise to look for a plan that will serve you now and in the future. If you wish to change plans later on, you’ll be able to do so during the Medicare open enrollment period, which takes place annually from October 15 to December 7.