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Blue Cross Blue Shield vs. UnitedHealthcare: Medicare Advantage Comparison

UnitedHealthcare gets slightly higher overall star ratings than BCBS and may offer lower prices, but BCBS might offer a better customer experience.
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Oct 16, 2025
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Blue Cross Blue Shield is a collective of 33 different companies and often scores well on customer satisfaction surveys, but star ratings and member experience scores vary among providers.

UnitedHealthcare offers $0-premium Medicare Advantage plans in most states and has a large provider network, but it doesn’t always score well on customer satisfaction surveys.

Blue Cross Blue Shield Medicare Advantage
Blue Cross Blue Shield
3.97
CMS Star Rating
on NerdWallet
M-F 9AM-9PM, Sat 10AM-6PM ETSpeak to a licensed insurance agent on askchapter.org
IS THIS PROVIDER AVAILABLE IN MY STATE?
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UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage - UHC (Main)
UnitedHealthcare
4.10
CMS Star Rating
from UnitedHealthcare
Call UnitedHealthcare
IS THIS PROVIDER AVAILABLE IN MY STATE?

Here’s a look at how BCBS and UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage compare.

45+ Medicare companies and brands analyzed by our team of experts.

30+ years of combined experience covering Medicare and personal finance.

Governed by NerdWallet's strict guidelines for editorial integrity.

NerdWallet’s Medicare content, including articles, reviews and recommendations, is produced by a team of writers and editors who specialize in Medicare. Their work has appeared in The Associated Press, Washington Post, Nasdaq, MSN, MarketWatch, Yahoo! Finance and other national and regional media outlets. They have been cited in publications including Healthline, and appeared on NerdWallet's "Smart Money" podcast.

Blue Cross Blue Shield Medicare Advantage

Blue Cross Blue Shield plans are widely available and often top customer satisfaction surveys, but price, plan options and quality vary depending on which individual BCBS company serves your location.

Pros

  • BCBS plans are available in 47 states, Washington D.C., and Puerto Rico.

  • BCBS companies often rank highest for customer satisfaction in J.D. Power market surveys.

Cons

  • Ratings vary among BCBS companies, and you may not have access to a highly-rated BCBS plan.

  • BCBS companies offer special needs plans in only two-thirds of U.S. states.

Other factors to consider

Provider size

3rd-largest provider of Medicare Advantage plans.

Medicare Advantage enrollment

More than 5.5 million.

Percent of plans rated 4 stars or higher

47%.

Percent of plans with $0 premium

48%.

Plans available

HMO, HMO-POS, PPO, PFFS, SNP.

BCBS Medicare Advantage plan availability

Blue Cross Blue Shield Medicare Advantage
Blue Cross Blue Shield
3.97
CMS Star Rating
on NerdWallet
M-F 9AM-9PM, Sat 10AM-6PM ETSpeak to a licensed insurance agent on askchapter.org
IS THIS PROVIDER AVAILABLE IN MY STATE?

» MORE: Read our full review of BCBS Medicare Advantage plans

UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage

UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage plans with $0 premiums are widely available and have a large Medicare Advantage provider network, but the company gets below-average results for customer satisfaction in more than half of the major Medicare markets surveyed by J.D. Power.

Pros

  • Large Medicare Advantage medical network with nearly 1 million providers.

  • Available with $0 premiums in 45 states.

Cons

  • Plans with premiums can be expensive.

  • Customer experience might vary by location.

Other factors to consider

Provider size

Largest provider of Medicare Advantage plans.

Medicare Advantage enrollment

More than 9.8 million.

Percent of plans rated 4 stars or higher

68%.

Percent of plans with $0 premium

60%.

Plans available

HMO, HMO-POS, PPO, PFFS, SNP.

UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage plan availability

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UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage - UHC (Main)
UnitedHealthcare
4.10
CMS Star Rating
from UnitedHealthcare
Call UnitedHealthcare
IS THIS PROVIDER AVAILABLE IN MY STATE?

» MORE: Read our full review of UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage plans

Find the right Medicare Advantage plan

It’s important to do your research before selecting a Medicare Advantage plan for yourself. Here are some questions to consider asking:

  • What are the plan’s costs? Do you understand what the plan’s premium, deductibles, copays and/or coinsurance will be? Can you afford them?

  • Is your doctor in-network? If you have a preferred medical provider or providers, make sure they participate in the plan’s network.

  • Are your prescriptions covered? If you’re on medication, it’s crucial to understand how the plan covers it. What tier are your prescription drugs on, and are there any coverage rules that apply to them?

  • Is there dental coverage? Does the plan offer routine coverage for vision, dental and hearing needs?

  • Are there extras? Does the plan offer any extra benefits, such as fitness memberships, transportation benefits or meal delivery?

If you have additional questions about Medicare, visit Medicare.gov or call 800-MEDICARE (800-633-4227, TTY 877-486-2048).

Medicare Advantage review methodology

The Medicare Advantage marketplace is concentrated among just a handful of companies; in many places, one insurer serves more than half of the market. NerdWallet reviewed 26 Medicare Advantage brands, with some insurers having more than one brand under their umbrella. (For example, Blue Cross Blue Shield includes the brands Anthem and Highmark.) At the national level, these reviews include nine of the 10 largest brands by enrollment. At the state level, our research includes at least one major insurer in 47 of the 49 states that offer Medicare Advantage plans, and includes the top two insurers in 35 of those states. (Alaska doesn't offer Medicare Advantage plans.) We also look at online search volume to identify regional and other notable players in the space.

NerdWallet’s Medicare Advantage reviews are based on ratings data from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, as well as pricing, plan availability by state, plan types available, consumer experience, extra benefits offered and more. These reviews are a guide, but we encourage you to shop around and compare several plans to find the best coverage and rate for you. NerdWallet does not receive compensation for any reviews. Read our editorial guidelines for additional information.