Best Medicare Advantage Plans in 2024

The best Medicare Advantage plan for you will depend on your circumstances, but there are providers that stand out — for having the largest network (UnitedHealthcare), best extra benefits (Aetna) or higher-than-average star ratings (Highmark), for example.

Medicare Advantage plans are a popular option for people who are eligible for Medicare: Just over half of Medicare-eligible people are in a Medicare Advantage plan^[0]

Here’s the list of Medicare Advantage plans that got our attention. (Information is current as of September 2024.)

• Best for size of network: UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage.

• Best for extra perks: Aetna Medicare Advantage.

• Best for local support: Blue Cross Blue Shield Medicare Advantage.

• Best for low-cost plan availability: Humana Medicare Advantage.

• Best of the Blues: Highmark Medicare Advantage.

Best for size of network: UnitedHealthcare

Why we picked it: UnitedHealthcare offers the largest Medicare Advantage network of all companies, with more than 1 million network care providers.^[0]

UnitedHealthcare is the largest provider of Medicare Advantage plans^[0]

» MORE: Read our review of UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage plans

Best for extra perks: Aetna

Why we picked it: Some Aetna Medicare Advantage members have access to cost help with dental, vision and hearing care, as well as a variety of other benefits, such as in-home health visits and meal delivery after a hospital stay.

Aetna, a CVS Health company, is the fourth-largest provider of Medicare Advantage plans. All of Aetna’s plans provide cost help with dental, vision and hearing care, and many offer other extras. Some valuable Aetna benefits include a travel benefit that allows you to access Aetna Medicare providers outside your service area, an over-the-counter benefit that lets you pick up items like vitamins and cold medications from drugstores or online at no cost and access to a consultant to help members find local resources and activities.

» MORE: Read our review of Aetna Medicare Advantage plans

Best for local support: Blue Cross Blue Shield

Why we picked it: Blue Cross Blue Shield is a collective of 33 different companies, and many are geographically specific, offering benefits targeted to local members.

The Blue Cross Blue Shield collective is the third-largest provider of Medicare Advantage plans and includes companies present in 48 states and Puerto Rico. Though BCBS’s presence is nationwide, individual companies offer benefits specific to their areas. Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, for instance, offers a Medicare plan in partnership with Meijer, a supermarket chain primarily concentrated in the Midwest. And Highmark companies provide access to state-specific concierge teams that can connect members to local tools and resources. Member experience ratings vary from company to company, so it’s important to research your local BCBS provider.

» MORE: Read our review of Blue Cross Blue Shield Medicare Advantage plans

Best for low-cost plan availability: Humana

Why we picked it: Humana offers $0-premium plans in 49 states, Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico, and 83% of members in non-special needs plans (SNPs) are in a $0-premium plan.

Humana is the second-largest provider of Medicare Advantage plans, and in addition to being widely available, the company offers $0-premium plans in every U.S. state except Alaska. Humana’s average Medicare star rating, weighted by enrollment, is 4.35 out of 5, and the vast majority of the plan’s members are in highly rated plans.

» MORE: Read our review of Humana Medicare Advantage plans

Best of the Blues: Highmark

Why we picked it: Highmark gets high Medicare star ratings and high member experience scores from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.

Highmark is a member of the Blue Cross Blue Shield family, which includes 33 independent companies that together form the third-largest provider of Medicare Advantage plans. Highmark is one of the few Blue companies with a 5-star contract in 2024, and Highmark’s average star rating is among the best of the bigger BCBS companies. The provider also ranks second in customer satisfaction in Pennsylvania, one of the major Medicare markets surveyed in this year’s J.D. Power study.

» MORE: Read our review of Highmark Medicare Advantage plans

What states have 5-star Medicare Advantage plans?

How to choose the best Medicare Advantage plan

The right Medicare Advantage plan for you will depend on your health history, prescription medications and where you live, among other factors. Here are some strategies for selecting the best plan:

• Check star ratings. The CMS collects data on Medicare Advantage plans from member surveys, the plans themselves and medical providers, and then it assigns a star rating based on the results. The star rating is on a scale of 1 to 5, with 5 being best.

• Compare out-of-pocket costs. Each plan will have a monthly premium (many Medicare Advantage plans have no premium^[0]

  KFF. Medicare Advantage 2024 Spotlight: First Look. Accessed Sep 17, 2024.

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  ) and a maximum out-of-pocket cost, which is the most you’ll pay in a year for covered health care.

• Keep your meds in mind. Your medications may seem like an afterthought, but make sure you investigate how each plan will cover your medications — or whether they’re covered at all.

• Look for your doctors. If you’ve got a list of caregivers and medical facilities you use and prefer, look for plans that include them.

• Consider the plan type. If you see specialists frequently and you don’t want to seek a referral for every office visit, a PPO plan is probably the better fit. If you’re a light health care user and see mostly your primary care physician, an HMO might be more affordable.

You can sign up for a Medicare Advantage plan when you first become eligible for Medicare (your initial enrollment period) or during designated annual Medicare enrollment periods.