Best Medicare Advantage Plans (2024)

Medicare Advantage (MA) plans allow seniors to access health insurance from private insurance companies. Sometimes called Medicare Part C, MA plans are an alternative to coverage focused solely on original Medicare. MA plans typically bundle the traditional parts of Medicare together while offering extra benefits.

This combination is a big reason why they’re so popular. About half (50.2%) of Medicare beneficiaries, or 33.6 million people, are on an MA plan, according to data from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).^[1]

If you’re considering this type of coverage, read on to learn more about the best Medicare Advantage plans available on today’s market.

How Medicare Advantage plans work

Medicare Advantage plans are available as an alternative to original Medicare. Instead of getting health insurance through the government, Medicare Advantage plans are available through private insurance companies approved by Medicare.

Choosing a Medicare Advantage plan allows you to bundle the different parts of Medicare and potentially receive additional benefits you wouldn’t get otherwise with Original Medicare. Though prices vary by plan, you may also have fewer out-of-pocket costs compared to Original Medicare.

Pros and cons of Medicare Advantage plans

Here are the benefits of Medicare Advantage plans and drawbacks to consider.

What to consider when choosing a Medicare Advantage plan

Deciding whether a Medicare Advantage plan is better for you than Original Medicare can be tough. To help with the decision-making process, here are some things to consider:

• The yearly limit for out-of-pocket costs

• Any extra benefits available

• The plan’s network (is your doctor within the network?)

• Deductible amount

• Customer reviews

• Support options

• Medical services covered

• Potential premium costs or monthly payments

• If there’s a Medicare Giveback benefit that helps lower monthly Part B premium

What Medicare Advantage plans cover

Medicare Advantage plans include Medicare Part A, Medicare Part B, and typically Medicare Part D. These plans are also known as Medicare Part C. Though different types of Medicare Advantage plans exist, they generally cover the following:

• Home healthcare

• Nursing facility care

• Inpatient care in hospitals

• Outpatient care

• Medical equipment, such as wheelchairs or walkers

• Preventative services, such as wellness visits and vaccines

• Prescription drugs

• Potential extra benefits, such as gym memberships, vision, dental cleanings, and hearing exams

Medicare Advantage vs. Original Medicare

The federal government offers Original Medicare, which includes Medicare Part A (hospital insurance) and Medicare Part B (medical insurance). Medicare Advantage (Plan C) comes with Part A and Part B, in addition to Part D (drug coverage). You don’t need to get a separate Medicare drug plan.

This differs from Original Medicare, where you must add Part D, which is Medicare drug coverage. When you choose a Medicare Advantage plan, you also get access to extra benefits like dental care, hearing, and vision, so it can be more comprehensive.

The major difference is that you must use a doctor in the plan’s network with a MA plan. You can see any doctor that accepts Medicare with Original Medicare. You may also need a referral with an Advantage plan, but you typically don’t need one with original Medicare.

You should also know that Medicare Advantage plans have a yearly limit on out-of-pocket costs, while Original Medicare doesn’t.

If you want the flexibility to see a specific doctor, Original Medicare might be best for you. If you want drug coverage included, as well as additional benefits like vision coverage, a Medicare Advantage plan may be a better option.

Best Medicare Advantage plans in 2024

Many private insurance companies offer Medicare Advantage plans. But eligibility varies by state. Some companies work in one state or service area, while others have a broader reach. Here, you’ll find five of the best Medicare Advantage plans for 2024, including the insurer’s stars, the number of patients enrolled, and the number of states in which it offers coverage.

Best overall: Humana

Humana is the best Medicare Advantage plan overall, with availability in all 50 states, serving more than 600,000 people.^[2] Humana also ranks highly in several states on J.D. Power’s 2023 U.S. Medicare Advantage Study.^[3] Humana Medicare Advantage plans include an HMO, PPO, and even special needs plans (SNPs) or private fee-for-service (PFFS) plans.

Best for residents in Rocky Mountain states: Select Health

Select Health has the best Medicare Advantage plan for consumers in the Rocky Mountain states. The company offers its policies in Colorado, Idaho, Nevada, and Utah, serving 47,705 Medicare beneficiaries in 2023.

The company has received a five-star rating from the CMS three years in a row. Select Health is a nonprofit health insurance company that started more than 40 years ago. The company offers HMO plans, PPO plans, and SNP plans.

Best for residents in the Midwest/South: Essence Healthcare

Essence Healthcare is another insurance company offering Medicare Advantage plans, with a five-star rating three years in a row. The company is best suited for residents in the Midwest and select states in the South, with HMO and PPO plans offered in Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Missouri, and Ohio.

If you need to reach out to customer service, you can contact the company seven days a week from 8 a.m.–8 p.m.

Best for residents in the Northeast: Highmark

Highmark is a highly rated Medicare Advantage plan provider, receiving five stars in 2023 and 2022. For residents in the Northeast, Highmark is one of the best Medicare Advantage plans, with availability in Delaware, New York, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia.

The company offers Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield or Highmark Blue Shield HMO, PPO, and Part D plans. Highmark received the second spot in overall satisfaction for Medicare Advantage plans in Pennsylvania based on J.D. Power’s 2023 U.S. Medicare Advantage Study.

Best for residents in Louisiana: Peoples Health

The best Medicare Advantage plans for Louisiana residents come from Peoples Health, which has received five stars the past three years. Additionally, the company has been the highest-rated Medicare Advantage plan in the state of Louisiana for the past seven years.

While the company’s plans are exclusively available in the Pelican State, it’s a great option for the 17% of Louisiana residents who are age 65 or older.

Peoples Health offers HMO-POS, PPO, D-SNPs, and employer and retiree group Medicare Advantage plans. Under the PPO plan, you can see a primary care physician for $0, have $0 tier 1 and 2 drug coverage, $0 for dental care and exams, $0 for hearing exams, $0 for glasses, and more.

Best Medicare Advantage plans FAQs