Best Medicare Advantage Plans in Maryland 2024
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Nearly 1.1 million people in Maryland are signed up for Medicare, placing it in the top half of U.S. states for Medicare beneficiaries.
Medicare is the federal health insurance program for people age 65 and older. Medicare Advantage is a bundled alternative to Medicare sold by private insurance companies. It offers all the same benefits and usually some extras, such as cost savings on dental and vision coverage.
Medicare Advantage plans offer more benefits than Original Medicare, and they can be cheaper than paying for Medicare and a Medicare Supplement plan. However, they have less flexibility since you’ll need to get care from within the plan’s network of providers. Weigh your options to determine which plan best suits your needs.
Compare Medicare Advantage plans in Maryland
What to know about Medicare in Maryland
About 1 in 6 people in Maryland are 65 and older, and there are a variety of Medicare Advantage plans in the state.
The average monthly premium in 2024 for a Medicare Advantage plan in Maryland is $35.50. (It was $35.77 in 2023.)
There are 64 Medicare Advantage plans available in Maryland in 2024. (This number is up from 55 plans in 2023.)
All Medicare-eligible people in Maryland have access to a $0-premium Medicare Advantage plan.
Medicare Advantage companies in Maryland
The following providers offer Medicare Advantage plans in Maryland:
Alterwood Advantage.
Communicare Advantage.
Johns Hopkins Health Plans.
Top-rated Medicare Advantage plans in Maryland
Each year, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) awards every Medicare Advantage plan a star rating on a scale of 1 to 5, with 5 being a top-rated plan. Below are companies with plans that received top marks in Maryland for the 2024 plan year. (Get more information about Medicare star ratings.)
5-star plans
The company below offers plans in Maryland that are rated 5 stars out of 5 by CMS:
UnitedHealthcare.
4.5-star plans
The company below offers plans in Maryland that are rated 4.5 stars out of 5 by CMS:
Humana.
This list doesn't include special needs plans, which restrict membership to people with certain diseases or characteristics, such as having a chronic illness or living in a nursing home.
Medicare resources in Maryland
State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP): Free counseling on Medicare topics including plans, eligibility, appeals, coverage changes and more.
211 Maryland: A free resource to find help for health-related topics, including Medicare, on the website or by calling to talk to someone.
Maryland Department of Aging: State website with resources about Medicare and contact numbers for each county’s SHIP office.
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?
Medicare Advantage companies
Get more information below about some of the major Medicare Advantage companies. These insurance companies offer plans in most states. The plans you can choose from will depend on your ZIP code and county.
Medicare Advantage Plan 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.
This roundup includes only insurers that sell Medicare Advantage in Maryland.
