The bottom line: Aetna Medicare Supplement Insurance plans are widely available and come in a variety of plan types, but the monthly premiums are sometimes high, and the company gets a lot more member complaints than average. Aetna also scored low on NerdWallet’s Medigap rubric for 2025. Jump to: Full Review
Aetna Medicare Supplement Insurance pros and cons
Pros
- Spending on member benefits: Aetna spends a greater portion of its income from premiums on benefits for members, compared to the average Medigap company.
- Variety of plan types: Aetna offers more Medigap plan type options than many competitors.
Cons
- Limited online options: Aetna doesn't offer online price quotes in a number of the states where it sells plans. In states where you can get online pricing, you still need to call to apply.
- Pricey premiums: Aetna’s premiums are often significantly more expensive than competitors’ prices, on average.
- Member complaints: Aetna’s Medigap plans had complaint rates significantly higher than the industry average.
Compare against other providers
🔍 AARP/UnitedHealthcare Medigap
» More options in our roundup of the best Medicare Supplement Insurance companies
Compare against other providers
🔍 AARP/UnitedHealthcare Medigap
» More options in our roundup of the best Medicare Supplement Insurance companies
Our full review
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Aetna Medicare Supplement Insurance rating
Aetna Medicare Supplement Insurance earned 2.5 stars out of 5 for overall performance. NerdWallet’s ratings are determined by our editorial team. The scoring formula takes into account pricing, coverage options, online quote availability, complaint data from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners and more.
Aetna Medicare Supplement Insurance plans
Aetna offers up to five Medicare Supplement Insurance plan types for any Medicare member:
Medigap Plan A — the basic benefits included in every Medigap plan without any extras.
Medigap Plan B — basic benefits plus coverage for the Medicare Part A deductible.
Medigap Plan D — a mid-cost option that covers most Medigap benefits.
Medigap Plan G — the highest-coverage option available to new Medicare members. Available as a high-deductible plan in some locations.
Medigap Plan N — a plan with lower premiums but higher copays.
Medigap Plan C, Medigap Plan F and the high-deductible version of Plan F are also generally available for qualifying beneficiaries who were eligible to enroll in Medicare prior to 2020. Newer Medicare members can’t buy these plans from any company.
More Nerdy Perspective
“Aetna isn’t one of the top Medigap companies I’d recommend for 2025. It scored 2.5 stars out of 5 on NerdWallet’s rubric, falling short especially on pricing and complaint rates. "It’s probably worth comparing a few other companies’ quotes and/or working with a licensed insurance agent or broker to find the best option for you.”
Cost for Aetna Medicare Supplement Insurance
Premiums for Aetna Medicare Supplement Insurance plans tend toward the higher side — but they’re competitive for certain plans and locations. Aetna’s Medigap Plan G premiums were about 54% higher than the least expensive option in the area, and Plan N premiums were about 44% higher.
- How we evaluate Medigap companies’ prices
The following price estimates were obtained for three metropolitan areas representing above-average, average and below-average costs for the most popular Medicare Supplement Insurance plans (Plan G and Plan N):
Los Angeles: More expensive than average.
Atlanta: Average cost for the U.S.
Dallas: Less expensive than average.
The sections below show pricing information from Aetna for a 65-year-old female nonsmoker as filed with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. (Note: Some Medigap prices may be higher for males.)
For comparison, each table also includes the price for the least-expensive option to buy the same plan from any company that filed prices. For example, Aetna’s price for Medigap Plan G in Los Angeles appears alongside the lowest price on Medicare.gov for all Plan G policies available in Los Angeles to an applicant with identical demographics.
Plan G
Aetna price | Medicare.gov lowest price | |
|---|---|---|
Los Angeles | $279. | $148. |
Atlanta | $151. | $139. |
Dallas | $192. | $117. |
Plan N
Aetna price | Medicare.gov lowest price | |
|---|---|---|
Los Angeles | $206 | $114. |
Atlanta | $98. | $98. |
Dallas | $132. | $88. |
Policy fee
Aetna charges a one-time policy fee for new enrollees in most states. The fee is typically $20, but it may be a little higher or lower depending on the state. There are a handful of states with no policy fee.
You can find the policy fee for your state under the rate tables in the “Outline of Coverage” documents for each state on Aetna’s website.
Discounts
Aetna offers a household discount to qualifying Medicare Supplement Insurance applicants if a spouse, civil union partner or other adult with whom they have lived for at least 12 months also enrolls in or already has an Aetna Medigap plan. This discount for Aetna plans is typically 7% but varies by state.
Available discounts can vary according to factors such as your location, household status and how you apply for a policy.
Aetna member complaints
50% more complaints than average
Members file complaints about Aetna Medicare Supplement Insurance plans about 50% more often than the average for all Medigap plans, according to 2022 and 2023 data from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners for Aetna and its subsidiaries that sell Medigap policies.
NerdWallet conducts its data analysis and reaches conclusions independently and without the endorsement of the NAIC.
Aetna’s spending on care
89.1% for member benefits
Aetna Medigap plans spent about 89.1% of premiums on member benefits, according to the most recent annual data. (The other 10.9% went to overhead expenses like administrative costs, marketing, salaries and commissions.) For comparison, the average for all companies is 83.9%.
Medicare Supplement Insurance companies must report data on the premiums they collect and how much they spend to provide benefits for members. The minimum required by law for individual Medigap policies is 60%.
Additional benefits
Medigap plans have standardized Medicare benefits, but companies can offer additional perks.
Some Aetna plans include discounts on certain hearing and vision exams, hearing aids and batteries, eyewear, and other health and wellness products.
Aetna Medicare Supplement Insurance service area
Aetna offers Medicare Supplement Insurance plans in 44 states and Washington, D.C. (Aetna doesn’t offer Medigap policies in Connecticut, Hawaii, Maine, Massachusetts, New York or Washington state.)
Aetna reports that it covers about 1.3 million Medicare Supplement Insurance beneficiaries. The company’s share of the total Medicare Supplement Insurance market as of the end of 2023 is about 7%.
Compare Medicare Supplement Insurance companies
Get more information below about some of the major Medicare Supplement Insurance companies. These insurers offer Medigap plans in most states, but specifics may vary depending on your location.
About Aetna
Founded in 1853, Aetna became a subsidiary of CVS Health Corp. in 2018. The company’s headquarters are in Hartford, Connecticut.
Aetna’s health insurance offerings include medical, dental and pharmacy plans. Aetna offers individual and group health insurance, including Medicare Advantage plans, Medicare prescription drug plans and Medicare Supplement Insurance.
Read the NerdWallet reviews of these other Aetna Medicare offerings:
Find the right Medicare Supplement Insurance plan
Because Medigap plans are standardized, you can get precisely the same Medicare benefits from any company offering the plan. So when you shop, keep these considerations in mind to find the best policy to fit your needs:
Is your preferred plan available? Health insurance companies don’t always sell every plan, so check who sells the plan you want to buy in your area.
What are the premiums? Prices for the same plan can vary between companies, so check to find the most competitive rates.
Will your premiums change over time? Most policies cost more as you age, but some companies offer policies that let you lock in a price when you sign up.
Are there extras? Medigap plans’ core benefits are standardized, but in certain cases, some companies include such perks as discount programs or gym memberships.
If you have additional questions about Medicare, visit Medicare.gov or call 800-MEDICARE (800-633-4227, TTY 877-486-2048).
- Higher-than-average portion of premiums spent on member benefits.
- Offers a wider variety of plan types than most competitors.
- High complaint rates.
- High prices, on average.
- No online price quotes or applications in many states.
Article sources
NerdWallet writers are subject matter authorities who use primary, trustworthy sources to inform their work, including peer-reviewed studies, government websites, academic research and interviews with industry experts. All content is fact-checked for accuracy, timeliness and relevance. You can learn more about NerdWallet's high standards for journalism by reading our editorial guidelines.
- 1.NerdWallet analysis of American Association for Medicare Supplement Insurance data. Best Costs Medigap 2024 – Plan G. Accessed Feb 19, 2025.
- 2.Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. Find a Medigap Policy That Works For You. Accessed Feb 19, 2025.
- 3.National Association of Insurance Commissioners. Company Complaint Index. Accessed Feb 19, 2025.
- 4.National Association of Insurance Commissioners. 2023 Medicare Supplement Insurance Experience Reports (Direct Premiums Earned; Direct Claims Incurred). Accessed Feb 19, 2025.
- 5.Code of Federal Regulations. Title 42, Part 403, Section 215. Accessed Feb 19, 2025.
- 6.National Association of Insurance Commissioners. 2023 Medicare Supplement Loss Ratios. Accessed Feb 19, 2025.
Medicare Supplement Insurance ratings methodology
NerdWallet’s Medicare Supplement Insurance (Medigap) ratings are based on pricing, discounts, plan types offered, complaint data from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners, consumer experience, additional perks and benefits, and more. To calculate each health insurance company's rating, we adjusted the scores to a curved 5-point scale, rounded to the nearest half star.
NerdWallet reviewed 15 Medicare Supplement Insurance companies based on highest enrollment and greatest online search volume. At the national level, our scored reviews include companies covering about two-thirds of all Medigap beneficiaries. At the state level, our research includes at least one of the two largest Medigap insurance companies in 48 of the 50 states, plus Washington, D.C.
These ratings are a guide, but we encourage you to shop around and compare several insurance quotes to find the best coverage and rate for you. NerdWallet does not receive compensation for any reviews. Read our editorial guidelines and full ratings methodology for Medicare Supplement Insurance.
Insurer complaints methodology
We examined complaints received by state insurance regulators and reported to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners. To assess how insurers compare to one another, the NAIC calculates a complaint index each year for each subsidiary, measuring its share of total complaints relative to its size, or share of total premiums in the industry. To evaluate a company’s complaint history, we calculated a similar index for each insurance company, weighted by market shares of each subsidiary. We score companies based on this index of how many complaints the company receives relative to its market share. NerdWallet conducts its data analysis and reaches conclusions independently and without the endorsement of the NAIC.
Compare Medigap plans
Insurance company | NerdWallet rating | Plan types offered | NAIC complaint rate | Premium discounts available | Learn more |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
BEST OVERALL | |||||
5.0/5 | A, B, C, F, G, K, L and N. | Far fewer than expected | Above average | (844) 939-0223 / TTY 711 Call UnitedHealthcarefrom UnitedHealthcare | |
BEST FOR EXTRA BENEFITS | |||||
 (855) 432-0512 / TTY 711 M-F 9AM-9PM, Sat 10AM-6PM ETSpeak to a licensed insurance agent on askchapter.orgon NerdWallet | 4.5/5 | A, F, G and N. | Close to expected | Average | (855) 432-0512 / TTY 711 M-F 9AM-9PM, Sat 10AM-6PM ETSpeak to a licensed insurance agent on askchapter.orgon NerdWallet |
BEST FOR PREMIUM DISCOUNTS | |||||
4.0/5 | A, F, G and N. | Far fewer than expected | Above average | (855) 432-0512 / TTY 711 M-F 9AM-9PM, Sat 10AM-6PM ETon NerdWallet | |
BEST FOR MEMBER SATISFACTION | |||||
 (855) 432-0512 / TTY 711 M-F 9AM-9PM, Sat 10AM-6PM ETSpeak to a licensed insurance agent on askchapter.orgon NerdWallet | 4.0/5 | A, C, D, F, G and N. | Far fewer than expected | Below average | (855) 432-0512 / TTY 711 M-F 9AM-9PM, Sat 10AM-6PM ETSpeak to a licensed insurance agent on askchapter.orgon NerdWallet |