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Central Health Medicare Plan Medicare Advantage 2024-2025 Review
Central Health Medicare Plan offers $0 premiums and low out-of-pocket caps in California, but its star ratings are poor.
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Alex Rosenberg is a NerdWallet writer focusing on Medicare and information technology. He has more than 10 years of experience researching and writing about health care, insurance, technology, data privacy and public policy. His research has supported lawmakers in the Wisconsin State Legislature as well as health systems and national health authorities in the U.S. and more than 10 other countries. He is based in Eau Claire, Wisconsin.
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.
The bottom line: Central Health Medicare Plan sells Medicare Advantage plans only in California. Its plans offer $0 premiums and inexpensive annual out-of-pocket caps. However, Central Health gets below-average star ratings from CMS, scoring especially poorly on measures of member experience.
Jump to: Full Review
Brand New Day merges with Central Health Medicare Plan for 2025
Brand New Day, another California-only Medicare insurance company, announced that it will merge with Central Health Medicare Plan for 2025. Members of Brand New Day plans will be automatically moved into Central Health plans unless they take action.
Central Health Medicare Plan
2.5
CMS Star RatingAverage Medicare star rating, weighted by enrollment. Star ratings are determined by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).
We will connect you with Medicare companies based on the information you provide. They will help you find a plan that suits your needs. If you prefer to speak to a licensed insurance agent right away, please call the number listed above.
M-F 8am-10pm EST, Sa-Su 9am-9pm EST
Speak to a licensed insurance agent on askchapter.org
M-F 8am-10pm EST, Sa-Su 9am-9pm EST
Speak to a licensed insurance agent on askchapter.org
Plan availability is determined by ZIP code. While a plan may be available in your state, it may not be offered in your specific county. Please verify plan availability with a licensed insurance agent.
Central Health Medicare Plan pros and cons
Pros
$0 premiums: All of Central Health’s Medicare Advantage plans that aren’t SNPs have $0 premiums for 2025.
Low out-of-pocket maximums: The out-of-pocket spending caps for Central Health Medicare Plan are often below $3,000 per year — significantly undercutting the average for major companies.
Cons
Star ratings: Central Health Medicare Plan scores well below the industry average on star ratings from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.
Member experience: Central Health Medicare Plan gets the lowest score for CMS’ measures of member experience.
Compare against other providers
UnitedHealthcare
3.93
CMS Star RatingAverage Medicare star rating, weighted by enrollment. Star ratings are determined by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).
Plan availability is determined by ZIP code. While a plan may be available in your state, it may not be offered in your specific county. Please verify plan availability with a licensed insurance agent.
CMS Star RatingAverage Medicare star rating, weighted by enrollment. Star ratings are determined by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).
We will connect you with Medicare companies based on the information you provide. They will help you find a plan that suits your needs. If you prefer to speak to a licensed insurance agent right away, please call the number listed below.
M-F 8am-10pm EST, Sa-Su 9am-9pm EST
Speak to a licensed insurance agent on askchapter.org
M-F 8am-10pm EST, Sa-Su 9am-9pm EST
Speak to a licensed insurance agent on askchapter.org
Plan availability is determined by ZIP code. While a plan may be available in your state, it may not be offered in your specific county. Please verify plan availability with a licensed insurance agent.
CMS Star RatingAverage Medicare star rating, weighted by enrollment. Star ratings are determined by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).
We will connect you with Medicare companies based on the information you provide. They will help you find a plan that suits your needs. If you prefer to speak to a licensed insurance agent right away, please call the number listed below.
M-F 8am-10pm EST, Sa-Su 9am-9pm EST
Speak to a licensed insurance agent on askchapter.org
M-F 8am-10pm EST, Sa-Su 9am-9pm EST
Speak to a licensed insurance agent on askchapter.org
Plan availability is determined by ZIP code. While a plan may be available in your state, it may not be offered in your specific county. Please verify plan availability with a licensed insurance agent.
CMS Star RatingAverage Medicare star rating, weighted by enrollment. Star ratings are determined by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).
We will connect you with Medicare companies based on the information you provide. They will help you find a plan that suits your needs. If you prefer to speak to a licensed insurance agent right away, please call the number listed below.
M-F 8am-10pm EST, Sa-Su 9am-9pm EST
Speak to a licensed insurance agent on askchapter.org
M-F 8am-10pm EST, Sa-Su 9am-9pm EST
Speak to a licensed insurance agent on askchapter.org
Plan availability is determined by ZIP code. While a plan may be available in your state, it may not be offered in your specific county. Please verify plan availability with a licensed insurance agent.
CMS Star RatingAverage Medicare star rating, weighted by enrollment. Star ratings are determined by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).
Plan availability is determined by ZIP code. While a plan may be available in your state, it may not be offered in your specific county. Please verify plan availability with a licensed insurance agent.
CMS Star RatingAverage Medicare star rating, weighted by enrollment. Star ratings are determined by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).
We will connect you with Medicare companies based on the information you provide. They will help you find a plan that suits your needs. If you prefer to speak to a licensed insurance agent right away, please call the number listed below.
M-F 8am-10pm EST, Sa-Su 9am-9pm EST
Speak to a licensed insurance agent on askchapter.org
M-F 8am-10pm EST, Sa-Su 9am-9pm EST
Speak to a licensed insurance agent on askchapter.org
Plan availability is determined by ZIP code. While a plan may be available in your state, it may not be offered in your specific county. Please verify plan availability with a licensed insurance agent.
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.
Central Health Medicare Plan Medicare star ratings
Average star rating, weighted by enrollment: 2.5
Central Health Medicare Plan Medicare Advantage plans are rated below the industry average, receiving an average rating of 2.5 stars out of 5 from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) for 2025, weighted by enrollment
CMS maintains star ratings for Medicare Advantage plans on a 5-point scale, ranking plans 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.
. You'll still be responsible for paying your Medicare Part B premium, which is $174.70 per month in 2024 ($185 in 2025).
(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.)
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, use Medicare’s plan-finding tool to compare information among available plans in your area. You can select by insurance carrier to see only Central Health plans or compare across carriers.
Available Central Health Medicare Plan Medicare Advantage plans
Central Health Medicare Plan offers Medicare Advantage prescription drug plans as well as Medicare Advantage plans without drug coverage.
Plan offerings include the following types:
HMO plans
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 in order to see a specialist, and out-of-network benefits are usually very limited.
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. Central Health Medicare Plan offers two types of SNP:
Chronic Condition SNP: For people diagnosed with chronic health conditions such as diabetes, cardiovascular disorders or chronic heart failure.
Dual-Eligible SNP: For people who are entitled to Medicare and who also qualify for assistance from a state Medicaid program.
Central Health Medicare Plan Medicare Advantage service area
Central Health Medicare Plan offers Medicare Advantage plans in California only. Central Health Medicare Plan covers about 39,000 Medicare Advantage beneficiaries
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).
Central Health Medicare Plan
2.5
CMS Star RatingAverage Medicare star rating, weighted by enrollment. Star ratings are determined by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).
Central Health Medicare Plan offers $0 premiums and low out-of-pocket maximums in California, but its star ratings and member satisfaction scores are poor.
We will connect you with Medicare companies based on the information you provide. They will help you find a plan that suits your needs. If you prefer to speak to a licensed insurance agent right away, please call the number listed above.
States available
1 state
Members in high-rated plansPercentage of members who are in rated contracts with a Medicare star rating of 4 or higher.
Low (49% or less)
Member experienceThe average of CMS' star ratings for quality measures in the domain "Member Experience with the Health Plan," weighted by contract enrollment.
1 (Below average)
IS THIS PROVIDER AVAILABLE IN MY STATE?
Plan availability is determined by ZIP code. While a plan may be available in your state, it may not be offered in your specific county. Please verify plan availability with a licensed insurance agent.
Pros
All standard plans have $0 premiums.
Maximum out-of-pocket spending caps are often below $3,000.
Cons
Below-average star ratings.
Lowest scores for measures of member experience.
States available
1 state
Members in high-rated plansPercentage of members who are in rated contracts with a Medicare star rating of 4 or higher.
Low (49% or less)
Member experienceThe average of CMS' star ratings for quality measures in the domain "Member Experience with the Health Plan," weighted by contract enrollment.
1 (Below average)
IS THIS PROVIDER AVAILABLE IN MY STATE?
Plan availability is determined by ZIP code. While a plan may be available in your state, it may not be offered in your specific county. Please verify plan availability with a licensed insurance agent.
PROS & CONS
Pros
All standard plans have $0 premiums.
Maximum out-of-pocket spending caps are often below $3,000.
Cons
Below-average star ratings.
Lowest scores for measures of member experience.
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.