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Humana Medicare Advantage 2024 Review
Humana is a widely available Medicare Advantage provider in the U.S., with a selection of highly rated plans.
Kate Ashford, CSA® Lead Writer | Medicare, retirement, personal finance
Kate Ashford is a writer and NerdWallet authority on Medicare. She is a certified senior advisor (CSA)® and has more than 18 years of experience writing about personal finance. Previously, she was a freelance writer for both consumer and business publications, and her work has been published by the BBC, Forbes, Money, AARP, LearnVest and Parents, among others. She has a degree from the University of Virginia and a master’s degree in journalism from Northwestern’s Medill School of Journalism. Kate has appeared as a Medicare expert on the PennyWise podcast by Lee Enterprises, and she's been quoted in national publications including Healthline, Real Simple and SingleCare. She is based in New York.
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.
Best for low-cost plan availability
Humana
4.35
CMS Star RatingAverage Medicare star rating, weighted by enrollment. Star ratings are determined by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).
Humana plans are widely available, highly rated by CMS and score well for member satisfaction. Humana also offers $0-premium plans in 49 states, Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico.
Members in high-rated plansPercentage of members who are in rated contracts with a Medicare star rating of 4 or higher.
High (90% or more)
Member experienceThe average of CMS' star ratings for quality measures in the domain "Member Experience with the Health Plan," weighted by contract enrollment.
4.04 (Above average)
Pros
Offers $0-premium plans in every U.S. state except Alaska.
Higher-than-average overall star rating from CMS.
Strong member experience scores among major providers.
Cons
Chronic Condition Special Needs Plans available in only 22 states.
The National Committee for Quality Assurance gives several Humana plans a 3 or below on its 5-point scale.
States available
49 states, Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico
Members in high-rated plansPercentage of members who are in rated contracts with a Medicare star rating of 4 or higher.
High (90% or more)
Member experienceThe average of CMS' star ratings for quality measures in the domain "Member Experience with the Health Plan," weighted by contract enrollment.
4.04 (Above average)
Pros
Offers $0-premium plans in every U.S. state except Alaska.
Higher-than-average overall star rating from CMS.
Strong member experience scores among major providers.
Cons
Chronic Condition Special Needs Plans available in only 22 states.
The National Committee for Quality Assurance gives several Humana plans a 3 or below on its 5-point scale.
Humana Medicare Advantage plans are available to most people in the U.S., and Humana is the second-largest provider of Medicare Advantage plans
. The vast majority of its Medicare Advantage customers are in high-quality contracts rated 4 stars or higher by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, and the company offers some nice perks with many plans.
Although most of Humana’s Medicare beneficiaries are in high-rated contracts, there are a few contracts with lower scores, so it’s worth doing your research before you sign on.
Here’s what you should know about Humana Medicare Advantage.
Humana Medicare Advantage pros and cons
Humana’s offerings have advantages and disadvantages:
Pros
Widely available: With plans available in 94% of U.S. counties, Humana is an option for most Americans.
Quality plans: Humana has 25 contracts rated 4 stars or higher (out of 5) for 2024; these contracts include nearly all of its existing Medicare Advantage members.
Member ratings: Humana scores above industry average in customer satisfaction in several major Medicare markets, according to J.D. Power's latest study.
Veteran focus: Humana USAA Honor plans are designed to work with veteran benefits to provide a complete package of health care for those who served.
Cons
Special needs plans availability: Humana's SNPs are available in 38 U.S. states and Puerto Rico.
Mixed reviews: Although Humana's member experience numbers are high, the National Committee for Quality Assurance gives several Humana plans a 3 or below out of 5 on its ratings scale.
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services maintains its own database of star ratings on every Medicare Advantage and separate Medicare Part D plan, ranging from best (5 stars) to worst (1 star). The agency bases these ratings on plans’ quality of care and measurements of customer satisfaction, and ratings may change from year to year.
All Medicare Advantage plans are evaluated on health plan measures, and Medicare Advantage plans that include prescription drug coverage are also evaluated on drug plan measures. Based on the most recent year of data and weighted by enrollment, Humana’s 2024 Medicare Advantage plans get an average rating of 4.35 stars
It’s also worth noting that 94% of Humana's Medicare Advantage members who are in rated contracts are in contracts with 4 stars or more as of March 2024. Four Humana contracts in 2024 received 5 stars.
You can find a plan's rating with the Medicare plan finding tool.
Still deciding on the right carrier? Compare Medicare Advantage plans
What does Humana Medicare Advantage cost?
Costs for Medicare Advantage plans will depend on your plan, your geographic location and your health needs.
Premiums
One of the costs to consider is the plan’s premium, and in 2024, about 6 out of 10 (63%) of Humana’s Medicare Advantage plans have a $0 premium
. (Most people pay this standard amount, but if your income is above a certain threshold, you'll pay more.)
Copays, coinsurance and deductibles
Requirements for copays, coinsurance and deductibles vary depending on your plan, location and the services you use. Other out-of-pocket costs to consider include:
Whether the plan covers any part of your monthly Medicare Part B premium.
The plan's deductibles.
Copayments and/or coinsurance for each visit or service. For instance, there may be a $10 copay for seeing your primary doctor and a $45 copay for seeing a specialist.
The plan’s in-network and out-of-network out-of-pocket maximums.
Whether your medical providers are in-network or out-of-network, or how often you may go out of network for care.
Whether you require extra benefits, and if the plan charges for them.
Here are examples of Humana Medicare Advantage costs for the most popular plans in a mid-range city:
To get a sense of costs, use Medicare’s plan finding tool to compare information among available plans in your area. You can select by insurance carrier to see only Humana plans, or compare across carriers.
Humana Medicare Advantage plan types
Humana offers several kinds of Medicare Advantage plans, and they vary in structure, costs and available benefits. Many plans offer dental and vision benefits, worldwide emergency care, and fitness benefits through SilverSneakers.
In general, Humana offers Medicare Advantage prescription drug plans, or MAPDs, as well as stand-alone prescription drug plans and Medicare Advantage plans without drug coverage. And Humana and USAA have partnered to offer the Humana USAA Honor with Rx plan, another plan in the Humana Honor family, which is aimed toward U.S. military veterans.
Other plan offerings include the following types:
HMO plans
A Medicare health maintenance organization (HMO) generally requires that you use a specific network of doctors and hospitals. You may need a referral from your primary doctor in order to see a specialist, and out-of-network benefits are usually very limited.
HMO-POS plans
HMO point-of-service plans are HMO plans that allow members to get some out-of-network services, but you’ll pay more for those services.
PPO plans
Medicare preferred provider organization (PPO) plans provide the most freedom, allowing you to see any provider that accepts the insurance. You may not need to choose a primary doctor, and you don’t need referrals to see specialists. You can seek out-of-network care, although it may cost more than seeing an in-network doctor.
PFFS plans
Humana’s private fee-for-service (PFFS) plans allow you to see any Medicare-approved provider who accepts your Humana plan. You won’t have to pick a primary doctor, and you won’t need a referral to see a specialist.
SNPs
Special needs plans (SNPs) restrict membership to people with certain diseases or characteristics. Hence, the benefits, network and drug formularies are tailored to the needs of those members. Humana offers two types of SNPs:
Chronic Condition SNP: For people with one or more conditions such as diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular disorders, chronic heart failure or chronic lung disorders.
Dual-Eligible SNP: For people who are entitled to Medicare and who also qualify for assistance from a state Medicaid program.
Third-party ratings
There are a few companies that weigh in on health plans or on the strength of the company in question, and we’ve included three here:
AM Best Financial Strength Rating: A (Excellent) for most
AM Best is a credit rating agency that specializes in the insurance industry. In September 2023, AM Best upgraded the Financial Strength Rating to A (Excellent) from A- (Excellent) for Humana Health Group.
AM Best also affirmed an FSR of B++ (Good) for Humana Insurance of Puerto Rico Inc. and Humana Health Plans of Puerto Rico Inc., which are Humana subsidiaries
An A rating in this category indicates that AM Best believes Humana has an excellent ability to meet its ongoing insurance obligations. (The two subsidiaries with a B++ rating are deemed to have a “good” ability to meet ongoing insurance obligations.)
J.D. Power Ranking
In its 2023 U.S. Medicare Advantage Study — the ninth it's done so far — J.D. Power measured member satisfaction with Medicare Advantage plans based on eight factors ranging from level of trust to how well a provider resolves problems or complaints. The study was fielded in the five biggest Medicare markets, and here’s how Humana ranked out of all major providers
The National Committee for Quality Assurance rates health insurance plans on a 5-point scale (with 5 being best) based on quality of care, patient satisfaction and health plans’ efforts to keep improving.
In its September 2023 ratings of Humana plans, the NCQA awarded ratings between 2.5 and 4.0 stars. About 15% of the rated plans received a 4.0, and the rest received a 3.5 or lower. Three plans received a 2.5 rating: Humana Health Plan of California, Humana Insurance Company in Oklahoma and Humana Medical Plan of Michigan
Humana offers Medicare Advantage plans in 49 states, Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico, and Medicare prescription drug plans in all 50 states, Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico. Humana Medicare Advantage plans are available in 94% of U.S. counties.
For the 2024 plan year, Humana expanded its HMO offerings into 140 new counties and introduced local PPO plans in 80 new counties. The company also expanded D-SNPs into 116 new counties.
Humana is the second-largest for-profit Medicare Advantage provider, adding 412,000 new Medicare Advantage members for the 2024 plan year, according to health care analytics firm The Chartis Group
. More than 5.9 million Medicare beneficiaries are enrolled in a Humana Medicare Advantage plan.
About Humana
Humana is a health insurance company headquartered in Louisville, Kentucky. Its insurance offerings include Medicare Advantage plans, Medicare prescription drug plans, Medicare Supplement Insurance, Medicaid coverage and dental and vision plans. In February 2023, Humana announced that it would no longer offer employer-based health plans.
Read the NerdWallet reviews of these other Humana Medicare offerings:
Get more information below about some of the major Medicare Advantage providers. These insurers offer plans in most states. The plans you can choose from will depend on your ZIP code and county.
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.
