Top Medicare Advantage Plans in Arkansas for 2024
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Arkansas's Finest Medicare Advantage Plans: How to Find Yours
If you are thinking about getting out of Original Medicare and into a Medicare Advantage plan available in Arkansas, you're not alone. Nearly half of the estimated 64 million people with Medicare will join a Medicare Advantage plan this year. Some join to get more benefits. Some join to save money. And some like a plan's doctors and other healthcare providers.
On this webpage, we aim to assist you in uncovering the highest-rated Medicare Advantage (MA) plans available in Arkansas, identifying the insurance providers that offer these plans, and providing guidance on locating suitable plans within your specific County. This is important because not all plans are available in all areas.
Table of Contents
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Unveiling the Standout Medicare Advantage Plans in Arkansas
Each year, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), reviews and rates Arkansas's Medicare Advantage plans based on a 5-star scale. The information used to create a plan's star rating comes from member input and data reported by the plan.
Arkansas has 5-star Medicare Advantage plans available in 2024. Not all states and locations do. This year, the highest rated Medicare plans available in Arkansas come from:
- Cigna
- Cigna Healthcare
- Essence Healthcare
MedicareWire recommends evaluating plans from these Arkansas health insurance companies first. Why? Because more stars mean a better plan. For instance, members may get better care, customer service, and phone support from a 5-star plan than from a 4-star one.
IMPORTANT: Depending on where you live in Arkansas, Medicare Advantage plans may have many valuable benefits (as compared to Original Medicare). But, before you choose, it's crucial that you understand the potential disadvantage of Medicare Advantage plans. Compare coverage and costs carefully.
Complete List of Arkansas's MA Plan Companies
Arkansas's Medicare Advantage plans are offered by 13 plan providers, including:
- Aetna Medicare
- Arkansas Blue Medicare
- Cigna
- Cigna Healthcare
- Essence Healthcare
- Health Advantage
- Humana
- Lasso Healthcare
- Primewell Health Services
- UnitedHealthcare
- Vantage Health Plan
- Wellcare
- Wellcare by Allwell
Arkansas's Top-Rated Plans
According to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, here are the top-ranked Medicare Advantage Plans available in Arkansas:
Top Medicare Advantage Plans in Arkansas
| Provider | Plan ID | Plan Name | Premium | Limit | Stars |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cigna Healthcare | H4513-052 | Cigna Preferred Medicare (HMO) | $0.00 | $5,600 | 5.0 |
| Essence Healthcare | H2610-019 | Essence Advantage (HMO) | $0.00 | $4,500 | 5.0 |
| Essence Healthcare | H2610-020 | Essence Advantage Plus (HMO) | $0.00 | $5,400 | 5.0 |
| Aetna Medicare | H2663-029 | Aetna Medicare Premier (HMO-POS) | $0.00 | $4,800 | 4.5 |
| Aetna Medicare | H2663-039 | Aetna Medicare Premier (HMO) | $0.00 | $4,800 | 4.5 |
| Aetna Medicare | H2663-067 | Aetna Medicare Signature (HMO) | $0.00 | $4,800 | 4.5 |
| Humana | H5216-083 | HumanaChoice H5216-083 (PPO) | $68.00 | $6,700 | 4.5 |
| Humana | H5216-231 | HumanaChoice H5216-231 (PPO) | $0.00 | $4,200 | 4.5 |
| Humana | H5216-337 | HumanaChoice H5216-337 (PPO) | $0.00 | $4,500 | 4.5 |
| Humana | H5216-093 | HumanaChoice H5216-093 (PPO) | $62.00 | $6,700 | 4.5 |
| Humana | H5216-264 | HumanaChoice H5216-264 (PPO) | $0.00 | $7,550 | 4.5 |
| Humana | H5216-097 | HumanaChoice H5216-097 (PPO) | $53.00 | $8,850 | 4.5 |
| UnitedHealthcare | H1889-014 | AARP Medicare Advantage from UHC AR-0004 (PPO) | $0.00 | $5,700 | 4.5 |
The top providers listed above do not tell the full story. That's because your Arkansas County may or may not have one of the top-rated plans. Unlike Original Medicare, Medicare Advantage plans are regional. Read How Does Medicare Advantage Work to learn more.
Best MA Plans in Arkansas by County
Choose your Arkansas County below to see the best (and the worst) plans.
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Navigating Your Options: How to Select the Best Medicare Advantage Plan in Arkansas
There are various reasons you might be considering a plan change, such as turning 65 or the Annual Enrollment Period. You might also be navigating a special enrollment event, such as moving into a new region. There are some important details to consider in all these situations.
1. Evaluate How You Plan to Use Your Benefits
Utilization is what determines your overall cost. Healthy individuals use fewer healthcare services. These people can save money by evaluating plans with low monthly premiums. Be aware that these plans often have higher copayments and a higher maximum out-of-pocket limit.
The opposite is true if you have one or more health conditions and frequently use healthcare services, especially hospital inpatient care. In this case, plans with higher monthly premiums, low copayments, and low maximum out-of-pocket limits will help you save money.
2. Review Your Drug Costs
Prescription drugs are often the main reason that seniors pay more for healthcare. Because most Arkansas Medicare Advantage plans include Part D coverage for prescriptions, it is important to ensure you get the right plan that covers your drugs at a cost you can afford.
3. Consider Your Needs for Additional Coverage
Original Medicare only covers your major medical services, leaving you to pay for dental, vision, hearing, and other healthcare services, or get additional coverage. Fortunately, a growing number of Medicare Advantage plans cover many of the essential services not covered by your Part A and Part B benefits.
4. Think About Your Preferred Healthcare Providers
Most Medicare Advantage plans available in Arkansas use local healthcare provider networks to deliver care. But not all specialists and primary care doctors accept all plans. It can be exhausting trying to find a plan you want that your doctors will accept. We can help!
Find Plans in your area with your ZIP Code
Next Steps
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Frequently Asked Questions
Still have questions? These common questions and answers might help.
What is the biggest disadvantage of Medicare Advantage?
Medicare Advantage plans may have several disadvantages. Most plans require that their members use their network providers. It is also difficult to budget for healthcare costs as costs are largely determined by your use of healthcare services. Many plans require that members obtain referrals to a specialist before they are authorized to receive a service. Discover more disadvantages of Medicare Advantage plans.
How much does Medicare Advantage cost in Arkansas?
A Medicare Advantage plan in Arkansas costs an average of $16.72. This is just the monthly premium. You should also consider the out-of-pocket expenses of a plan if you have any chronic conditions, which include a plan's copays and deductibles. Prescription drug benefits are also included in most Medicare Advantage plans, but they have their own out-of-pocket costs.
What are Medicare Advantage plans required to cover?
At a minimum, every Medicare Advantage plan sold in Arkansas must cover all of the benefits offered in Original Medicare. However, plans are not required to cover healthcare services in the same way. Medicare Part A covers 80% of hospital stays, skilled nursing, home health care, and hospice care. Part B covers 80% of doctor visits, lab tests, and other outpatient services. But, Medicare Advantage plans can set their own copays, and often charge more than 20%. On the positive side, plans must set an annual out-of-pocket limit.
Citations & References
- CMS.gov, 2023 Medicare Part C Landscape Source Files, Last Accessed January 13, 2023
- CMS.gov, "CMS Releases 2023 Medicare Advantage and Part D Star Ratings", Last Accessed October 6, 2022
- Medicare.gov, "Explore your Medicare coverage options", Last Accessed October 27, 2022
- KFF.org, "Medicare Advantage 2023 Spotlight: First Look", Last Accessed September 5, 2023
- Medicare.gov, "How do Medicare Advantage Plans work?", Last Accessed October 13, 2022
- CMS.gov, Part C and D Performance Data, Last Accessed January 13, 2023
- CMS.gov, Monthly MA Enrollment by State/County/Contract, Last Accessed January 13, 2023
- CMS.gov, Biden-Harris Administration Announces Lower Premiums for Medicare Advantage and Prescription Drug Plans in 2023, Last Accessed September 29, 2022
- CMS.gov, Medicare Marketing Guidelines, Last Accessed February 2, 2023
Plans Offered
Medicare Advantage and Part D plans and benefits offered by the following carriers: Aetna Medicare, Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield, Aspire Health Plan, Dean Health Plan, Devoted Health, GlobalHealth, Health Care Service Corporation, Cigna Healthcare, Humana, Molina Healthcare, Mutual of Omaha, Premera Blue Cross, Medica Central Health Plan, SCAN Health Plan, Scott and White Health Plan now part of Baylor Scott & White Health, UnitedHealthcare(R), and Wellcare.
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