The bottom line: HealthSpring is the new name for Cigna Medicare plans in 2026. Medicare Advantage plans from HealthSpring have low costs and good member experience scores. But the company’s quality ratings from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) are below average, and more members than average leave their plans because of problems with coverage of doctors and hospitals. Jump to: Full Review
HealthSpring (formerly Cigna) Medicare Advantage pros and cons
Pros
- $0 premiums: Nearly 80% of HealthSpring's Medicare Advantage offerings are $0-premium plans.
- Low-cost options: For Medicare Advantage prescription drug plans with premiums, HealthSpring is the cheapest among major companies, on average.
- Happy members: HealthSpring outscores major competitors on CMS’ survey-based measures of member experience.
Cons
- CMS quality ratings: HealthSpring’s quality ratings from CMS aren’t bad, but they’re below average for 2026.
- Brand-name drug coverage: Competitors offer more options to get brand-name drugs with no copay or coinsurance.
- Provider network dissatisfaction: People disenrolling from HealthSpring plans often cited problems with coverage of doctors and hospitals on surveys.
Compare against other providers
🔍 UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage
» More options in our roundup of the best Medicare Advantage plans
Compare against other providers
🔍 UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage
» More options in our roundup of the best Medicare Advantage plans
Our full review
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NerdWallet star rating for HealthSpring Medicare Advantage
HealthSpring (formerly Cigna) Medicare Advantage plans earned 4.1 out of 5 stars for overall performance. NerdWallet’s ratings are determined by our editorial team. The scoring formula takes into account premiums, out-of-pocket costs, government quality ratings, customer complaints, disenrollment survey data, third party quality accreditation and more.
Based on these ratings, HealthSpring is among NerdWallet’s best Medicare Advantage companies for 2026.
NerdWallet star ratings are different from CMS ratings for Medicare plans.
Our data-driven, consumer-first scoring rubric for Medicare Advantage plans includes crucial metrics like cost and a wider range of data sources for quality and customer satisfaction in addition to the information incorporated into CMS ratings.
CMS quality ratings for HealthSpring Medicare Advantage
Average CMS star rating, weighted by enrollment: 3.76
HealthSpring Medicare Advantage plans are rated below the industry average, receiving an average rating of 3.76 stars out of 5 from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) for 2026, weighted by enrollment. For comparison, the average weighted CMS star rating for plans from all providers is 4.02.
While some plans have lower ratings, 67% of HealthSpring's members are in plans rated 4 stars or better for 2026.
CMS maintains its own database of star ratings, which rank each plan 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.
You can find a plan’s rating with Medicare's plan finding tool.
How much does HealthSpring (formerly Cigna) Medicare Advantage cost?
Premiums
About 77% of HealthSpring Medicare Advantage plans have a $0 premium.
HealthSpring plans with a monthly premium cost about $18.89 per month, on average, weighted by enrollment. That’s relatively inexpensive compared to competitors’ premiums.
With any Medicare Advantage plan, you'll still be responsible for paying your Medicare Part B premium, which is $202.90 per month in 2026. Most people pay this standard Part B amount, but if your income is above a certain threshold, you'll pay the income-related monthly adjustment amount (IRMAA). Some Medicare Advantage plans cover part or all of your Part B premium.
Prescription drugs
About 94% of HealthSpring Medicare Advantage plans include prescription drug coverage.
Here’s what you might pay for prescription drugs at some common price points.
Tier 1 (Preferred generics) 99.4% of HealthSpring Medicare Advantage plans have $0 copays/coinsurance.
$3.75: Average out-of-pocket cost for a drug with a $15 retail price, among HealthSpring plans with copays or coinsurance at Tier 1 (after deductible, if any).
Tier 2 (Most generics) 29.5% of HealthSpring Medicare Advantage plans have $0 copays/coinsurance.
$4.94: Average out-of-pocket cost for a drug with a $50 retail price, among HealthSpring plans with copays or coinsurance at Tier 2 (after deductible, if any).
Tier 3 (Preferred brands) 0% of HealthSpring Medicare Advantage plans have $0 copays/coinsurance.
$47.03: Average out-of-pocket cost for a drug with a $200 retail price, among HealthSpring plans with copays or coinsurance at Tier 3 (after deductible, if any).
Other out-of-pocket costs
HealthSpring Medicare Advantage plans have an average maximum out-of-pocket (MOOP) spending cap of $5,091, weighted by enrollment. That’s lower than the average among the companies NerdWallet reviews.
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 yearly deductibles and any other deductibles, such as a drug deductible.
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.
To get a sense of costs, Medicare.gov and most other Medicare shopping tools can help you compare plans' premiums and out-of-pocket costs for certain services and prescription drugs in your location.
Why do people leave HealthSpring Medicare Advantage plans?
CMS surveys people who voluntarily leave their Medicare plans about their reasons for leaving. Here’s the breakdown of problems people identified with their HealthSpring (formerly Cigna) Medicare plans.
Problems getting covered care: 7% (All-company average: 11%).
Problems with doctor/hospital networks: 28% (All-company average: 17%).
Financial issues: 16% (All-company average: 17%).
Problems with prescription drug benefits: 2% (All-company average: 3%).
Problems getting information from the plan: 15% (All-company average: 9%).
(Members can give more than one reason for leaving on the survey and might leave plans for other reasons, so the categories won’t add up to 100%.)
What additional benefits does HealthSpring Medicare offer?
All HealthSpring plans include some coverage for routine vision and hearing care, and most include some dental coverage. Here are a few other benefits that might be included in some HealthSpring plans:
Fitness: Plans might include Silver&Fit, which offers a fitness center membership or home exercise program.
Meal delivery: Some plans might provide home-delivered meals after a hospitalization or skilled nursing facility stay.
Transportation: Plans might provide a certain number of non-emergency trips to or from health care facilities.
Over-the-counter allowance: Some plans might include a quarterly allowance to cover the cost of certain over-the-counter medications and health and wellness products.
HealthSpring Medicare Advantage plan types
HealthSpring offers Medicare Advantage prescription drug plans and Medicare Advantage plans without drug coverage.
Plan offerings include the following types:
A 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 to see a specialist, and out-of-network benefits are usually limited.
HMO point-of-service (POS) plans are HMO plans that allow members to get some out-of-network services, but you’ll pay more for those services.
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.
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. HealthSpring offers two types of SNPs:
Chronic Condition SNP: Designed to meet the needs of members living with certain chronic conditions, such as diabetes.
Dual-Eligible SNP: For people who are entitled to Medicare and who also qualify for assistance from a state Medicaid program.
Third-party ratings of HealthSpring
AM Best Financial Strength Rating: A (Excellent)
AM Best is a credit rating agency that specializes in the insurance industry. In January 2026, AM Best affirmed its Financial Strength Rating, or FSR, of A (Excellent) for the HCSC Medicare & Supplemental Group, which includes the newly acquired Cigna Medicare business.
An A rating in this category indicates that AM Best believes HCSC has an excellent ability to meet its ongoing insurance obligations.
JD Power Ranking
JD Power releases an annual study measuring member satisfaction with Medicare Advantage plans. It uses eight factors, such as level of trust, ability to get health services, ease of doing business and resolving problems or complaints.
On these measures, Cigna placed third out of six major providers in Texas (the only state where Cigna had enough market share to be considered).
NCQA accreditation: 33% of plans
About 33% of HealthSpring/Cigna Medicare Advantage plans are NCQA accredited as of the most recent annual update in September 2025.
The National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) evaluates health insurance plans based on clinical measures and customer experience survey results. To earn NCQA accreditation, plans need to meet standards related to quality, population health management, provider networks, member experience and more.
HealthSpring Medicare Advantage service area
HealthSpring offers Medicare Advantage plans in 29 states and Washington, D.C. About 680,000 Medicare beneficiaries are in HealthSpring Medicare Advantage plans.
About HealthSpring (formerly Cigna)
HealthSpring is the new brand name for Cigna Medicare plans as of 2026. The name change comes after Cigna sold its Medicare business to Health Care Service Corp. (HCSC) in March 2025.
HCSC also sells Blue Cross Blue Shield Medicare Advantage plans in Illinois, Montana, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas. Its headquarters are in Chicago.
Read the NerdWallet reviews of these other HealthSpring Medicare offerings:
HealthSpring customer service
If you’re a HealthSpring Medicare Advantage member, you can contact customer service by calling the number on the back of your HealthSpring ID card.
Compare Medicare Advantage companies
Get more information below about some of the major Medicare Advantage insurance companies. These insurers offer plans in most states. The plans you can choose from will depend on your ZIP code and county.
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 preferred medical 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).
- Nearly 8 in 10 plans have $0 premiums.
- Plans with premiums are relatively inexpensive.
- Better member experience survey ratings than major competitors.
- CMS quality ratings are below average.
- Competitors have more options for brand-name drugs with no copay/coinsurance.
- "Problems with coverage of doctors and hospitals" are common on disenrollment surveys.
Frequently asked questions
Cigna sold its Medicare business, but Cigna Medicare Advantage plans are unchanged, at least for now. The new owner, HCSC, also sells Blue Cross Blue Shield Medicare Advantage plans in a number of states.
Cigna Medicare Advantage plans will stay the same through the end of 2025. As of the acquisition in March 2025, HCSC hasn’t yet indicated what it plans to do for the 2026 plan year.
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 CMS data. 2026 Star Ratings Data Tables. Accessed Apr 16, 2026.
- 2.NerdWallet analysis of CMS data. Monthly Enrollment by Plan. Accessed Apr 16, 2026.
- 3.NerdWallet analysis of CMS data. CY2026 Landscape 202603. Accessed Apr 16, 2026.
- 4.Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. Understanding Medicare Advantage Plans. Accessed Apr 16, 2026.
- 5.NerdWallet analysis of CMS data. Beneficiary Cost File. Accessed Apr 16, 2026.
- 6.NerdWallet analysis of CMS data. 2026 Star Ratings Data Table - Disenrollment Reasons (Oct 8 2025). Accessed Apr 16, 2026.
- 7.AM Best. AM Best Affirms Credit Ratings of Health Care Service Corporation Group Members and Health Care Service Corp Medicare & Supplemental Group Members. Accessed Apr 16, 2026.
- 8.JD Power. Medicare Advantage Plan Member Satisfaction Facing Headwinds; Digital Innovation an Emerging New Solution, JD Power Finds. Accessed Apr 16, 2026.
- 9.NCQA. Health Plans. Accessed Apr 16, 2026.
Medicare Advantage review methodology
NerdWallet’s Medicare Advantage ratings are based on premiums, out-of-pocket costs, prescription drug coverage, quality data from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, consumer experience and more. We calculate each health insurance company’s rating on a curved 5-point scale.
NerdWallet’s editorial team analyzed companies covering about 87% of all Medicare Advantage beneficiaries in the United States. We reviewed 25 Medicare Advantage brands, with some insurance companies having more than one brand under their umbrella. (For example, Blue Cross Blue Shield includes the brands Anthem and Highmark.)
The Medicare Advantage marketplace is concentrated among just a handful of companies. In many places, one company serves more than half of the market. At the national level, NerdWallet’s reviews include each of the 10 largest brands by enrollment.
At the state level, our research includes at least one major insurer in every state where Medicare Advantage plans are sold, and includes the top two insurers in 40 of those 49 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.
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.
Compare Medicare Advantage plans
Insurance company | CMS star rating | States available | Members in high-rated plans | Member experience | Learn more | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
(855) 432-0512 / TTY 711 M-F 9AM-9PM, Sat 10AM-6PM ETSpeak to a licensed insurance agent on askchapter.orgon NerdWallet | 4.11 | 4.11/5 | 48 states and Washington, D.C. | Medium (50% to 84%) | 3.74 (Above average) | (855) 432-0512 / TTY 711 M-F 9AM-9PM, Sat 10AM-6PM ETSpeak to a licensed insurance agent on askchapter.orgon NerdWallet |
(855) 432-0512 / TTY 711 M-F 9AM-9PM, Sat 10AM-6PM ETSpeak to a licensed insurance agent on askchapter.orgon NerdWallet | 3.79 | 3.79/5 | 46 states and Washington, D.C. | Low (49% or less) | 3.82 (Above average) | (855) 432-0512 / TTY 711 M-F 9AM-9PM, Sat 10AM-6PM ETSpeak to a licensed insurance agent on askchapter.orgon NerdWallet |
(855) 432-0512 / TTY 711 M-F 9AM-9PM, Sat 10AM-6PM ETSpeak to a licensed insurance agent on http://askchapter.org on NerdWallet | 4.20 | 4.20/5 | 43 states and Washington, D.C. | Medium (50% to 84%) | 3.89 (Above average) | (855) 432-0512 / TTY 711 M-F 9AM-9PM, Sat 10AM-6PM ETSpeak to a licensed insurance agent on http://askchapter.org on NerdWallet |
(855) 432-0512 / TTY 711 M-F 9AM-9PM, Sat 10AM-6PM ETSpeak to a licensed insurance agent on askchapter.orgon NerdWallet | 3.76 | 3.76/5 | 29 states and Washington, D.C. | Medium (50% to 84%) | 3.96 (Above average) | (855) 432-0512 / TTY 711 M-F 9AM-9PM, Sat 10AM-6PM ETSpeak to a licensed insurance agent on askchapter.orgon NerdWallet |