Best 2024 Medicare Advantage Plans in Illinois
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Illinois's Finest Medicare Advantage Plans: How to Find Yours
If you live in Illinois and you're thinking about enrolling in a Medicare Advantage plan, you're not alone. This year nearly half of all people with Medicare will join a Medicare Advantage plan because they want lower costs, more benefits, and access to more doctors and other healthcare providers.
On this webpage, we aim to assist you in uncovering the highest-rated Medicare Advantage (MA) plans available in Illinois, 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 Illinois
Every year, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) reviews and rates all Medicare Advantage plans in Illinois based on a 5-star scale. Input for the ratings comes from information that each plan self-reports, as well as individual member complaints. (Read more about Medicare star ratings.)
Illinois has 5-star Medicare Advantage plans available in 2024. Not all states and locations do. This year, the highest rated Medicare plans available in Illinois come from:
- Essence Healthcare
- Quartz Health Plan
- Quartz Medicare Advantage
MedicareWire recommends that you evaluate the plans offered by these Illinois health insurance companies, before all others, for this single reason. More stars awarded by CMS typically means members get better results. So, for instance, five-star plan members might receive better service, phone support, and care than those who have a four-star plan.
TIP: Everyone's personal situation is different. And so are Illinois's Medicare Advantage plans. That's why it is so important to understand Medigap vs Medicare Advantage plans.
Complete List of Illinois's Providers
Illinois's Medicare Advantage plans are offered by 24 plan providers, including:
- Aetna Medicare
- Ascension Complete
- Blue Cross and Blue Shield of IL, NM
- Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois
- Cigna
- Cigna Healthcare
- Clear Spring Health
- Devoted Health
- Essence Healthcare
- Health Alliance Medicare
- HealthPartners UnityPoint Health
- Humana
- Lasso Healthcare
- Medica
- Medical Associates Health Plan
- Medical Associates Health Plan, Inc.
- Molina Healthcare of Illinois
- Quartz Health Plan
- Quartz Medicare Advantage
- UnitedHealthcare
- Wellcare
- Wellcare by Allwell
- WellFirst Health
- Zing Health
Illinois's Top-Rated Plans
According to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, here are the top-ranked Medicare Advantage Plans available in Illinois:
Top Medicare Advantage Plans in Illinois
Provider | Plan ID | Plan Name | Premium | Limit | Stars |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Essence Healthcare | H2610-005 | Essence Advantage (HMO) | $0.00 | $1,950 | 5.0 |
Essence Healthcare | H2610-006 | Essence Advantage Plus (HMO) | $60.00 | $1,700 | 5.0 |
Essence Healthcare | H2610-016 | Essence Advantage Select (HMO) | $0.00 | $2,800 | 5.0 |
Aetna Medicare | H2663-017 | Aetna Medicare Premier Preferred (HMO) | $0.00 | $3,400 | 4.5 |
Aetna Medicare | H2663-005 | Aetna Medicare Gold Advantage (HMO) | $0.00 | $2,400 | 4.5 |
Aetna Medicare | H2663-006 | Aetna Medicare Option 1 (HMO-POS) | $19.00 | $6,000 | 4.5 |
Aetna Medicare | H2663-002 | Aetna Medicare Option 2 (HMO) | $28.00 | $4,900 | 4.5 |
HealthPartners UnityPoint Health | H3416-001 | HealthPartners UnityPoint Health Align (PPO) | $0.00 | $3,900 | 4.5 |
HealthPartners UnityPoint Health | H3416-002 | HealthPartners UnityPoint Health Symmetry (PPO) | $49.00 | $3,300 | 4.5 |
Humana | H5216-283 | HumanaChoice H5216-283 (PPO) | $30.00 | $3,100 | 4.5 |
Humana | H1468-018 | Humana Community Select (HMO) | $0.00 | $2,300 | 4.5 |
Humana | H1468-014 | Humana Gold Plus H1468-014 (HMO) | $49.00 | $3,850 | 4.5 |
Humana | H1468-013 | Humana Gold Plus H1468-013 (HMO) | $0.00 | $2,300 | 4.5 |
Humana | H5216-357 | HumanaChoice H5216-357 (PPO) | $138.00 | $1,000 | 4.5 |
Humana | H5216-251 | HumanaChoice H5216-251 (PPO) | $0.00 | $3,700 | 4.5 |
Humana | H5216-399 | HumanaChoice H5216-399 (PPO) | $30.00 | $3,900 | 4.5 |
Humana | H1468-007 | Humana Gold Plus H1468-007 (HMO) | $0.00 | $3,000 | 4.5 |
Humana | H5216-318 | HumanaChoice H5216-318 (PPO) | $0.00 | $3,600 | 4.5 |
Humana | H5216-032 | HumanaChoice H5216-032 (PPO) | $70.00 | $6,700 | 4.5 |
Humana | H5216-013 | HumanaChoice H5216-013 (PPO) | $87.00 | $3,450 | 4.5 |
Humana | H5216-215 | HumanaChoice H5216-215 (PPO) | $0.00 | $3,900 | 4.5 |
Medica | H8019-002 | Medica Advantage with SSM Value (HMO-POS) | $0.00 | $4,500 | 4.5 |
Medica | H8019-006 | OSF with Medica Advantage Value (HMO) | $0.00 | $3,500 | 4.5 |
Medica | H8019-007 | OSF with Medica Advantage Select (HMO-POS) | $0.00 | $3,900 | 4.5 |
Medica | H8019-008 | OSF with Medica Advantage Preferred (HMO-POS) | $160.00 | $0 | 4.5 |
Quartz Medicare Advantage | H5262-018 | UW Health IL Quartz Med Advantage Value D(w/Rx) (HMO) | $32.00 | $4,500 | 4.5 |
Quartz Medicare Advantage | H5262-019 | UW Health IL Quartz Med Advantage Core D (w/Rx) (HMO) | $0.00 | $5,500 | 4.5 |
Quartz Medicare Advantage | H5262-026 | UW Health IL Quartz Med Advantage Elite D(w/Rx) (HMO) | $68.00 | $3,250 | 4.5 |
UnitedHealthcare | H2802-024 | AARP Medicare Advantage Access (HMO-POS) | $0.00 | $2,500 | 4.5 |
UnitedHealthcare | H5253-107 | AARP Medicare Advantage from UHC IA-0001 (HMO-POS) | $0.00 | $3,800 | 4.5 |
UnitedHealthcare | H5253-108 | AARP Medicare Advantage (HMO-POS) | $25.00 | $3,900 | 4.5 |
UnitedHealthcare | H5253-108 | AARP Medicare Advantage from UHC IA-0002 (HMO-POS) | $29.00 | $3,800 | 4.5 |
UnitedHealthcare | H2802-052 | AARP Medicare Advantage Plan 2 (HMO-POS) | $0.00 | $3,400 | 4.5 |
UnitedHealthcare | H2802-028 | AARP Medicare Advantage Plan 1 (HMO-POS) | $0.00 | $2,900 | 4.5 |
The top providers listed above do not tell the full story. That's because your Illinois 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 Illinois by County
Choose your Illinois County below to see the best (and the worst) plans.
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Find Your Perfect Fit: How to Pick the Best Medicare Advantage Plan in Illinois
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. Examine Your Projected Utilization Needs
Do you believe that you will get the most out of your plan's benefits, including hospital inpatient care? If you do, evaluate plans with higher monthly premiums, low copayments, and low maximum out-of-pocket limits. Conversely, if your health is good and you rarely use services, look for plans with low premiums or a zero-dollar premium. These plans may have high out-of-pocket maximums and high deductibles, so weigh your risk carefully.
2. Evaluate Your Prescription Costs
For many seniors, prescription drugs are what drive up their healthcare costs the most. And, because nearly all Illinois Medicare Advantage plans include Part D benefits for your regular prescriptions, you need to make sure the plan you choose covers your drugs at a price you can afford.
3. Understand Your Additional Coverage Requirements
Original Medicare doesn't cover all costs related to health care. It covers major medical expenses and preventative care services, however, it doesn't cover prescriptions, vision, hearing, or dental. Many of the essential services your Part A or Part B benefits don't cover are covered by Medicare Advantage plans.
4. Consider Your Healthcare Providers
Medicare Advantage plans use healthcare provider networks, and not all primary care doctors and specialists accept all plans. For many Illinois shoppers, finding a plan that their doctors accept is exhausting. 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 are the disadvantages of a Medicare Advantage plan?
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.
Do Medicare Advantage plans pay 100% of all costs?
A Medicare Advantage plan in Illinois costs an average of $23.95. 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 Illinois 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, "Medicare Advantage Plans", Last Accessed October 1, 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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