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Aetna Medicare Supplement Insurance 2024 Review
Aetna sometimes offers rates among the market’s lowest for certain Medigap plans, but its complaint rates are high.
Alex Rosenberg Lead Writer | Medicare, health care, legislation
Alex Rosenberg is a NerdWallet writer focusing on Medicare and information technology. He has more than 10 years of experience researching and writing about health care, insurance, technology, data privacy and public policy. His research has supported lawmakers in the Wisconsin State Legislature as well as health systems and national health authorities in the U.S. and more than 10 other countries. He is based in Stoughton, Wisconsin.
Holly Carey joined NerdWallet in 2021 as an editor on the team responsible for expanding content to additional topics within personal finance. She currently leads the Medicare team. Previously, Holly wrote and edited content and developed digital media strategies as a public affairs officer for the U.S. Navy. She is based in Virginia Beach, Virginia.
Many or all of the products featured here are from our partners who compensate us. This influences which products we write about and where and how the product appears on a page. However, this does not influence our evaluations. Our opinions are our own. Here is a list of our partners and here's how we make money.
Aetna
For certain plans and certain locations, Aetna offers some of the lowest Medicare Supplement Insurance premiums on the market. Premiums aren’t low across the board, though, and customers file complaints at rates significantly above the market average.
Plan types offeredMedigap plan types the company generally offers (availability may vary by location). Options include Plans A, B, C, D, F, G, K, L, M and N
A, B, C, D, F, G and N.
NAIC complaint rateHow often the company’s members file complaints about their policies as compared to the industry average, according to data from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC). NerdWallet conducts its data analysis and reaches conclusions independently and without the endorsement of the NAIC.
Far more than expected
Premium discounts availableBased on the number and size of a company’s available discounts on monthly premiums, in comparison to other insurance companies.
Average
Pros
Among the lowest prices for certain plans and locations.
Higher-than-average portion of premiums spent on member benefits.
Cons
High complaint rates.
No online price quotes or applications in many states.
Plan types offeredMedigap plan types the company generally offers (availability may vary by location). Options include Plans A, B, C, D, F, G, K, L, M and N
A, B, C, D, F, G and N.
NAIC complaint rateHow often the company’s members file complaints about their policies as compared to the industry average, according to data from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC). NerdWallet conducts its data analysis and reaches conclusions independently and without the endorsement of the NAIC.
Far more than expected
Premium discounts availableBased on the number and size of a company’s available discounts on monthly premiums, in comparison to other insurance companies.
Average
Pros
Among the lowest prices for certain plans and locations.
Higher-than-average portion of premiums spent on member benefits.
Cons
High complaint rates.
No online price quotes or applications in many states.
Aetna offers as many as five Medigap plan types for all Medicare members (Plans A, B, D, G and N), plus Plan C and Plan F for those who qualify. (Plan types vary by state.)
For certain plans and certain locations, Aetna offers very competitive Medicare Supplement Insurance premiums. Premiums aren’t low across the board, though, and customers file complaints about Aetna’s Medigap insurance at rates significantly above the market average.
Here’s what you should know about Aetna Medicare Supplement Insurance.
Aetna Medicare Supplement Insurance
2.5
NerdWallet rating
NerdWallet's ratings are determined by our editorial team. The scoring formulas take into account multiple data points for each financial product and service.
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, complaint data from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners and more.
Still deciding on the right carrier? Compare Medigap plans
Aetna Medicare Supplement Insurance pros and cons
Aetna’s Medicare Supplement Insurance offerings have advantages and disadvantages.
Pros
Competitive prices: Aetna offers some of the lowest rates for certain plans and locations.
Spending on member benefits: Aetna spends a greater portion of its income from premiums on benefits for members, compared to the average Medigap company.
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.
Member complaints: Aetna’s Medigap plans had complaint rates significantly higher than the industry average.
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.
Cost for Aetna Medicare Supplement Insurance
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)
NerdWallet analysis of American Association for Medicare Supplement Insurance data. Best Costs Medigap 2024 – Plan G. Accessed Feb 9, 2024.
. (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
On average, Aetna’s estimated prices for Medigap Plan G were about 45% higher than the least-expensive Plan G policy in the area.
Aetna price
Medicare.gov lowest price
Los Angeles
$258.
$137.
Atlanta
$139.
$119.
Dallas
$141.
$109.
Plan N
On average, Aetna’s estimated prices for Medigap Plan N policies were about 33% higher than the least-expensive Plan N policy in the area.
Aetna price
Medicare.gov lowest price
Los Angeles
$185.
$105.
Atlanta
$91.
$90.
Dallas
$99.
$82.
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
88% more complaints than average
Members file complaints about Aetna Medicare Supplement Insurance plans about 88% more often than the average for all Medigap plans, according to 2022 data from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners for Aetna and its subsidiaries that sell Medigap policies
National Association of Insurance Commissioners. Company Complaint Index. Accessed Jan 24, 2024.
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 1.4 million Medicare Supplement Insurance beneficiaries. The company’s share of the total Medicare Supplement Insurance market as of the end of 2022 is about 7%
Here’s how Aetna Medigap members can contact customer service:
Call Aetna’s Medicare Supplement customer service line at 888-624-6290, 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Central time, seven days a week. (TTY dial 711 and follow the prompts.)
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.
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:
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).
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 13 Medicare Supplement Insurance companies based on highest enrollment and greatest online search volume. 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.
