5 of the Best Medicare Advantage Plans, According to Members

Medicare Advantage plan availability can vary from one area to the next — and so can customer satisfaction with these health insurance plans, judging by a recent ranking.

J.D. Power’s U.S. Medicare Advantage Study is in its ninth year but was redesigned for 2023 to focus on the largest plans available in five of the largest states. In each of those states, a different plan ranked No. 1.

For the 2023 study, more than 5,800 Medicare Advantage plan members themselves were polled.

The overall customer satisfaction scores are based on eight factors. Listed in order of importance, they are:

• Level of trust
• Able to get health services how/when I want
• Helping to save me time or money
• Product/coverage offerings meet my needs
• Ease of doing business
• People (representatives, call center agents)
• Resolving problems or complaints
• Digital channels

Read on for a look at the No. 1 plan in California, Florida, New York, Pennsylvania and Texas — as well as the plans that fell short.

Medicare Advantage versus Original Medicare

Medicare Advantage is one of the two main types of Medicare. The other is Original Medicare, also referred to as traditional Medicare.

Original Medicare is offered directly by the federal government’s Medicare program, whereas Medicare Advantage plans, also called MA plans, are offered by private insurers that have been approved by the government’s Medicare program.

Medicare Advantage plans must cover the same services that Original Medicare covers but also can cover other expenses as well. (We detail some of the services that Original Medicare does not cover in “Medicare Will Not Cover These 10 Medical Costs.”)

So, from one Medicare Advantage plan to the next, coverage and costs can differ widely in addition to customer satisfaction.

To learn more about Medicare Advantage, check out:

• “A Little-Known Downside of Medicare Advantage Plans“
• “Which Type of Medicare Costs More in the Long Run?“
• “Report: Some Medicare Plans Deny Valid Requests for Care“

The best Medicare Advantage plans in California

In California, J.D. Power polled members about seven Medicare Advantage plans, and the average overall customer satisfaction score among them was 669 out of 1,000 possible points.

The plans that earned above-average scores are:

1. SCAN Health Plan: 708 out of 1,000
2. Humana: 692
3. Kaiser Foundation Health Plan: 680

UnitedHealthcare, Blue Shield of California, Elevance Health (formerly Anthem) and Centene scored below the state average.

The best Medicare Advantage plans in Florida

In Florida, J.D. Power polled members about six plans, and the average customer satisfaction score among them was 645 out of 1,000.

Those that earned above-average scores are:

1. Humana: 670 out of 1,000
2. UnitedHealthcare: 653
3. Aetna: 647

Elevance Health (formerly Anthem), Florida Blue and Centene scored below the state average.

The best Medicare Advantage plans in New York

In New York, Medicare Advantage plan members were asked about eight plans with an average customer satisfaction score of 632 out of 1,000 points.

The plans that scored above average are:

1. Excellus BlueCross BlueShield: 700 out of 1,000.
2. Healthfirst: 680
3. Humana: 651
4. EmblemHealth: 647
5. Elevance Health (formerly Anthem): 633

UnitedHealthcare, Aetna and Centene earned below-average customer satisfaction scores.

The best Medicare Advantage plans in Pennsylvania

In Pennsylvania, members were asked about seven Medicare Advantage plans, which received an average customer satisfaction score of 678 out of 1,000.

Only two plans beat the state average — the first of which earned the highest score of any plan included in J.D. Power’s 2023 study:

1. UPMC For Life: 709 out of 1,000
2. Highmark: 706

Aeta, Geisinger Health Plan, UnitedHealthcare, Humana and Independence Blue Cross all earned below-average scores for customer satisfaction.

The best Medicare Advantage plans in Texas

In Texas, J.D. Power polled Medicare Advantage plan members about six options, with an average customer satisfaction score of 634 out of 1,000.

Those that beat or tied the state average are:

• Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas: 676 out of 1,000
• Cigna Health: 668
• Humana: 648
• UnitedHealthcare: 634

Aetna and Centene fell below average.