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Best Medicare Advantage Plans in 2024 by State and County

by David Bynon , last updated March 23, 2024

Find Plans in your area with your ZIP Code

When you enter your zip code in the search tool above, we’ll show you a list of the top-rated Medicare Advantage plans available in your area, excluding Special Needs Plans and employer plans. Plan pages include benefits, out-of-pocket costs, and a plan’s most recent CMS 5-star rating.

What are Medicare Advantage Plans?

Medicare Advantage plans are a private healthcare alternative to Original Medicare. The program provides healthcare for nearly half (48%) of all individuals on Medicare. [1]

Medicare Advantage plans are local. Each plan is designed for the specific needs of its local residents and the availability of local healthcare providers. The easiest way to shop and compare 2024 plans where you live is to enter your zip code in the search tool above. You can also browse by state using the links below.

If you are new to Medicare and want to understand if Medicare Advantage is the best option for you and your personal situation, keep reading below.

Related: Best Medicare Supplement Plans in 2024

Browse Top-Rated Medicare Advantage Plans by State

What Every Medicare Beneficiary Needs to Know About Medicare Advantage

Medicare Advantage, Part C of Medicare, is a private health insurance option for Medicare beneficiaries. Each year, health insurance companies offer new plans or update their existing plans in the counties they serve. Medicare Advantage plans, like most Health Maintenance Organization (HMO) plans and Preferred Provider Organization (PPO) plans, don’t give you nationwide coverage. Except in an emergency, coverage is regional.

People who choose Medicare Advantage vs. Original Medicare generally do so because they get more benefits. The key advantage to private health plans is their ability to offer more services, including prescription drug coverage, dental, vision, hearing, transportation services, and more.

How Does Medicare Advantage Work?

When a Medicare beneficiary chooses to enroll in a Medicare Advantage plan, the plan takes over responsibility for the member’s healthcare coverage. In other words, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is no longer the primary payor for the beneficiary’s care.

As you prepare to compare plans, it’s important to understand that all Medicare Advantage plans must provide all of the coverage guaranteed by Medicare Part A and Medicare Part B.  However, plans are not required to cover benefits in the same way. For example, Part A and Part B (e.g., Original Medicare) are private fee-for-service coverage. Medicare pays approximately 80 percent of all covered services, and the beneficiary pays the remainder as an out-of-pocket cost or with supplemental insurance (e.g., Medigap).

With Medicare Advantage plans, members pay monthly premiums and copayments when they use services. Depending on a member’s use of healthcare services, their costs may be more or less than 20 percent.

What are the Advantages and Disadvantages of Medicare Advantage Plans?

It’s understandable why most people with Medicare would want to know the disadvantages of Medicare Advantage plans. After all, the advantage is easy to see. Plans are able to offer more services than Original Medicare. But, how do you quantify advantages and disadvantages when comparing plans?

It isn’t easy.

There are many potential disadvantages to these plans. Most are subjective. Some of these may include:

What is the Difference Between Medicare Advantage and Medicare Supplement Insurance?

When comparing Medicare Advantage with a Medicare Supplement, it’s important to remove the fluff and look at the hardcore facts. Major healthcare, which is what Original Medicare covers, is very expensive. So, make sure those costs are covered as completely as possible within a budget you can afford.

One difference between Medicare Advantage and Original Medicare plus a Medicare Supplement is when you pay. With Medicare Advantage, you pay most of the costs at the point of service. As a result, costs can vary and be difficult to plan for in advance.

With Original Medicare and Medicare Supplement insurance, you pay many of your costs up-front through monthly premiums. As a result, your medical costs may be easier to plan and budget.

How Much Do Medicare Advantage Plans Cost?

Most people who join a Medicare Advantage plan do so because there is a cost-benefit. Generally, the cost-benefit comes from a low monthly premium combined with additional benefits bundled with a plan.

However, it’s important to do more than ask, “how much is Medicare Advantage,” and look at all of the extra benefits plans offer. If you do, you might be disappointed when the bills start rolling in.

There is a general misconception that Medicare Advantage plans cost less than Original Medicare. This isn’t always true. In fact, studies show that an inpatient stay in the hospital is likely to cost more with a Medicare Advantage plan, not less.[4]

For this reason, it is very important to do your homework and examine costs when you use healthcare services with a plan. Every plan publishes a summary of benefits document that details all costs. MedicareWire publishes the summary of benefits information on all plan pages. You can download it as a PDF document to easily compare plans.

When Can I Enroll in a Medicare Advantage Plan?

Unlike Medigap, which does not have a specific enrollment period, you are only allowed to enroll in a Medicare Advantage (MA) plan or Medicare Part D plan (PDP) during specific enrollment periods, which include your Individual Enrollment Period (IEP), the Annual Election Period (AEP), the General Enrollment Period (GEP), and the Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period (OEP).  It’s critical that you mark these open enrollment period dates on your calendar:

In certain circumstances, Medicare may also grant a Special Enrollment Period (SEP). An SEP is generally approved for specific life circumstances, such as moving out of your plan’s service area.

If you’re considering keeping your Original Medicare coverage and supplementing with additional coverage, the best time to buy a Medicare Supplement plan is during the six-month enrollment period that starts the first day of the month you turn age 65 — as long as you have enrolled in Medicare Part B.

If you are newly eligible for Medicare because you’re disabled and under 65, you can sign up for a Medicare Advantage Plan or a Medicare Prescription Drug Plan starting 21 months after you get Social Security. Your Medicare coverage begins 24 months after you get Social Security. Your chance to enroll in an MA plan lasts through the 27th month after you get Social Security benefits.

Are Medicare Advantage plans Really an Advantage?

If you’ve read this far, you might be wondering, is Medicare Advantage worth it? Medicare Advantage private health plans may be a good option for the following people:

If you fall into one of the above categories, then yes, we recommend taking the time to compare the plans available in your area.

How to Compare Medicare Advantage Plans

One of the minor disadvantages of Medicare Advantage is that plans can be difficult to compare and plans can change every year. The Original Medicare system, with supplemental coverage through standardized Medigap plans, typically has fewer changes.

To compare Medicare Advantage plans we recommend looking at four things:

Types of Medicare Advantage Plans

There are several different types of Medicare Advantage plans:

NOTE: Although a plan may use provider networks to deliver care, emergency care is always covered both in and out of the provider network.

What is the Best Medicare Advantage Plan?

With Medicare, one size does not fit all. What’s best for your neighbor may not be the best choice for you. The only way to figure out which Medicare Advantage plan is best is to look at your unique personal needs.

For many people, Medicare Advantage offers a combination of the best cost and the best coverage. For instance, people with employer retiree benefits that assist them with copayments and deductibles love Medicare Advantage. The same is true of most people with dual-eligible status (e.g., Medicare and Medicaid) in counties that offer SNP-D (Special Needs Plans for dual-eligible people) plans.

However, if you don’t have financial assistance from a former employer or your state, Original Medicare, not Medicare Advantage, might be a better option. Even though most private health plans offer more coverage options than Original Medicare, those options could end up costing you a lot more money.

How To Choose The Best Medicare Advantage Plan

People often want to know, who has the best Medicare Advantage plan. Or, what is the highest-rated Medicare Advantage plan? Medicare’s star ratings provide a clear-cut answer for the highest rates plans. But, there’s more to it than that.

Finding the best Medicare Advantage plan takes a little legwork. It’s important to understand that plans are regional, not national. As a result, a plan your friend has and loves in the next county over from you may not be available where you live. You must research plans in your region.

Plan Benefits That Go Beyond Original Medicare

From its inception, Original Medicare was designed to cover major medical services. Medicare Advantage plans also cover major medical, but insurance companies are free to bundle extra benefits with their health insurance, as well. The most common benefit included is a prescription drug plan. However, an increasing number of plans also offer routine care for dental, vision, hearing, and more.

Another additional benefit that’s quickly becoming a popular option, particularly in the age of the COVID-19 virus, is telehealth. This is a great option for anyone, but it’s particularly beneficial if getting to your doctor’s office is inconvenient.

Speak with a Licensed Insurance Agent

Ready to enroll? Still have questions? It’s time to speak with a licensed insurance agent.

You can enroll through the plan itself, using one of its agents, or use an independent agency like HealthCompare. Your cost will be the same, regardless.

Call 1-855-728-0510 (TTY 711) to speak with a licensed advisor.

Find Plans in your area with your ZIP Code

Plans Offered

Medicare Advantage and Part D plans and benefits offered by the following carriers: Aetna Medicare, Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield, Aspire Health Plan, Centene Corporation, Dean Health Plan, Devoted Health, GlobalHealth, Health Care Service Corporation, Cigna-HealthSpring, Humana, Molina Healthcare, Mutual of Omaha, Oscar Health Insurance, Premera Blue Cross, Medica Central Health Plan, SCAN Health Plan, Scott and White Health Plan now part of Baylor Scott & White Health, and UnitedHealthcare.

Citations & References

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Licensed sales agent (“advisor”) services are provided by HealthCompare Insurance Services, Inc., MedicareWire’s trusted partner. Online enrollment services are provided by MedicareEnrollment.com, a HealthCompare affiliate. Read our full sales agent disclosure.

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Medicare Plan Directories

Copyright © 2024 MedicareWire.com - All Rights Reserved 101 W Goodwin St #2487, Prescott, AZ 86302 MedicareWire.com is a non-government website and is not endorsed by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) or any other government agency. For official government information, please visit Medicare.gov (1-800-MEDICARE). By using MedicareWire.com you agree to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. Partner Disclosure: HealthCompare Insurance Services does not offer every plan available in your area. Currently we represent 18 organizations, which offers 52,101 products in your area. Please contact Medicare.gov, 1-800-MEDICARE, or your local State Health Insurance Program (SHIP) to get information on all of your options. HealthCompare Insurance Services represents Medicare Advantage HMO, PPO and PFFS organizations and stand-alone PDP prescription drug plans that are contracted with Medicare. Enrollment depends on the plan’s contract renewal. [3] Not all plans offer all of these benefits. Benefits may vary by carrier and location. Limitations and exclusions may apply. [4] The standard Part B premium for 2024 is $174.70. Monthly savings vary and may be subject to processing delays and may not be immediate. Not available with all plans. Availability varies by carrier and location. MULTIPLAN_HCIMEDWIR01_M

Partner Disclosure: HealthCompare Insurance Services does not offer every plan available in your area. Currently we represent 18 organizations, which offers 52,101 products in your area. Please contact Medicare.gov, 1-800-MEDICARE, or your local State Health Insurance Program (SHIP) to get information on all of your options.

HealthCompare Insurance Services represents Medicare Advantage HMO, PPO and PFFS organizations and stand-alone PDP prescription drug plans that are contracted with Medicare. Enrollment depends on the plan’s contract renewal.

[3] Not all plans offer all of these benefits. Benefits may vary by carrier and location. Limitations and exclusions may apply.

[4] The standard Part B premium for 2024 is $174.70. Monthly savings vary and may be subject to processing delays and may not be immediate. Not available with all plans. Availability varies by carrier and location.

MULTIPLAN_HCIMEDWIR01_M

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Medicare prescription drug plans are more complicated than ever. That’s why MedicareWire has partnered with the experts at HealthCompare. Their licensed Medicare insurance agents will listen to your needs and walk you through your plan options and benefits. There’s no obligation!

HOURS: Mon-Sun 8am-11pm EST

HealthCompare, an Allstate company, is a nationwide health insurance agency. They do not offer every plan available in your area. Any information they provide is limited to those plans they do offer in your area. Please contact Medicare.gov or 1-800-MEDICARE (TTY users should call 1-877-486-2048) 24 hours a day/7 days a week to get information on all of your options.

Don’t Navigate Medicare Advantage Alone!

Call HealthCompare for Expert Guidance at 855-728-0510 (TTY 711).

Medicare health insurance is more complicated than ever. That’s why MedicareWire has partnered with the experts at HealthCompare. Their licensed Medicare insurance agents will listen to your needs and walk you through your plan options and benefits. There’s no obligation!

HOURS: Mon-Sun 8am-11pm EST

HealthCompare, an Allstate company, is a nationwide health insurance agency. They do not offer every plan available in your area. Any information they provide is limited to those plans they do offer in your area. Please contact Medicare.gov or 1-800-MEDICARE (TTY users should call 1-877-486-2048) 24 hours a day/7 days a week to get information on all of your options.

Get Clarity on Your Medicare Advantage Choices.

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MedicareWire has partnered with the licensed Medicare insurance agents at HealthCompare to help answer your toughest questions. They will take the time to walk you through your plan options and benefits. There’s no obligation!

OPEN ENROLLMENT HOURS: Mon-Sun 8am-11pm EST

HealthCompare, an Allstate company, is a nationwide health insurance agency. They do not offer every plan available in your area. Any information they provide is limited to those plans they do offer in your area. Please contact Medicare.gov or 1-800-MEDICARE (TTY users should call 1-877-486-2048) 24 hours a day/7 days a week to get information on all of your options.

Take the Guesswork Out of Medicare Advantage

Call The HealthCompare Team at 855-728-0510 (TTY 711).

Medicare health insurance is more complicated than ever. That’s why MedicareWire has teamed up with the Medicare Advantage experts at HealthCompare. Their licensed Medicare insurance agents will ask you about your medications, preferred pharmacy, and the healthcare benefits you need most. Using their state-of-the-art tools, they will find your best plan options. Just like magic!

HOURS: Mon-Sun 8am-11pm EST

HealthCompare, an Allstate company, is a nationwide health insurance agency. They do not offer every plan available in your area. Any information they provide is limited to those plans they do offer in your area. Please contact Medicare.gov or 1-800-MEDICARE (TTY users should call 1-877-486-2048) 24 hours a day/7 days a week to get information on all of your options.

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Questions About Medicare Advantage?

Call 855-728-0510 (TTY 711)

Our licensed insurance agents can answer your toughest questions. Mon-Fri, 8am-9pm , SAT 8am-8pm EST No obligation. We’re here to help.

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