Independent · Reader-funded · Updated 2026
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The 2026 Field Guide · 7 options tested
No sponsored placements, no pay-to-play. We score every option on the same 100-point rubric and publish the receipts — so you can pick with confidence.
The Rankings
Scored on value, coverage, and service. Tap any row to read the full review and methodology.
Kaiser Permanente's integrated model produces the highest member satisfaction and star ratings we track. The catch is geography and the HMO lock-in: outside its eight regions it isn't an option, and even inside them you trade open-network freedom for a single front door.
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Humana balances broad networks, strong star ratings, and unusually generous extras better than any other national carrier. It isn't the cheapest plan in every county, but it's the safest default for someone who wants flexibility without overthinking it.
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UnitedHealthcare's scale means you can find an in-network doctor almost anywhere, and the AARP co-brand adds trust. But size cuts both ways: local plan quality varies, and the marketing can be relentless. Great for travelers and people who value the largest possible network.
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Aetna's tie-in with CVS Health and MinuteClinic gives it a convenience advantage few rivals can match, and its $0 plans are competitive. The watch-out is star ratings, which have swung from year to year, so the carrier's quality is more local than national.
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Where Cigna competes hard, it offers low premiums and genuinely good Part D coverage. The problem is footprint: its network and plan selection are narrower than the big three, so Cigna is a market-by-market story rather than a safe national default.
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The Blue Cross Blue Shield name opens doors with providers, and Anthem's networks are strong in its home states. Where it stumbles is consistency: member satisfaction and star ratings vary sharply by region, so the Blue brand tells you far less than the local plan rating does.
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WellCare's low-cost and dual-eligible plans deliver real value to budget-focused members, and its Part D pricing is aggressive. But narrower networks and below-average star ratings mean you're trading quality for cost. Right for the price-driven shopper; wrong for anyone who can pay a little more for a stronger plan.
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Rankings reflect our independent editorial scoring. We may earn a commission from links above — it never affects placement.
Our Methodology
Every option starts at zero and earns its place. We weigh real costs, coverage, and service quality — then publish the rubric so you can check our work.
Analysts evaluate every Medicare Advantage plans option against the same criteria. No brand sees a review before it publishes.
A 100-point rubric across value, coverage, and service. The number you see is the number we calculated.
Markets move, so we re-test and re-score. Each review shows when it was last verified.
From the Desk
WellCare specializes in rock-bottom premiums and plans built for budget-conscious and dual-eligible members. The value is real — but so are the trade-offs in network size and star ratings. Here's the honest picture.
Hard to beat on price, easy to beat on everything else.
Read full reviewThe Blue Cross Blue Shield name carries real weight with doctors, and Anthem's plans are competitively priced. But quality swings hard from state to state — making this a carrier you judge locally, not by the brand.
A trusted brand and good networks — but quality is a state-by-state lottery.
Read full reviewCigna is a strong regional contender with surprisingly good drug coverage and low-cost plans in the markets it serves. Outside those markets, its smaller footprint shows. Here's how to tell which side you're on.
A sleeper pick in its strong markets, thin everywhere else.
Read full reviewBacked by CVS Health, Aetna pairs competitive $0 plans with a retail-pharmacy advantage most carriers can't match. Strong value in the right markets — with star ratings that have been a moving target.
A strong value play with a CVS pharmacy edge — if your local plan rates well.
Read full reviewUnitedHealthcare is the biggest Medicare Advantage carrier in America, with the AARP brand and a network to match. Size brings real advantages — and a few trade-offs worth knowing before you enroll.
The biggest network in the country, wrapped in the AARP brand.
Read full reviewHumana has quietly become the most well-rounded Medicare Advantage carrier in the country — huge networks, generous extras, and strong drug coverage. We break down where it wins and the fine print to watch.
The best all-around pick for most people on Medicare.
Read full reviewSkip the research
It earned the highest score in our latest round of testing. See current pricing and availability.
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