Top Rated Medicare Advantage Plans in Maryland
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2025 Medicare Advantage Plan Enrollment in Maryland
2025 Medicare Advantage Plan information will not be available until early October. We will let you know as soon as the new data is available from CMS.
Sign-Up for 2025 Medicare Plan Notification. Enrollment for 2025 starts October 15.
Finding the Top Medicare Advantage Plan in Maryland Starts Here
If you live in Maryland 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.
This page aims to assist you in uncovering the highest-rated Medicare Advantage (MA) plans in Maryland, identifying the insurance providers that offer these plans, and providing guidance on locating suitable plans within your specific region. This information is vital since plan availability varies across different areas.
Table of Contents
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Locating the Best Medicare Advantage Plans in Maryland
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Service (CMS) rates and reviews Maryland's Medicare Advantage plans based on a 5-star rating scale. Information from members and data provided by plans is used to determine a plan's star rating.
Maryland has 5-star Medicare Advantage plans available in 2024. Not all states and locations do. This year, the highest rated Medicare plans available in Maryland come from:
- Kaiser Permanente
- Erickson Advantage
- UnitedHealthcare
We recommend evaluating the health plans from these Maryland health insurance companies ahead of all others. Here's why. Simply put, more stars generally mean members will get better results. Members might get better service, phone support, and care from a 5-star than they would from a four-star plan.
CRUCIAL: Benefits are not the same throughout Maryland. That's why it is essential that you fully understand the advantages and disadvantages of Medicare Advantage plans.
Complete List of Maryland's Providers
Approximately 15 health insurance providers offer Medicare Advantage plans in Maryland, including:
- Aetna Medicare
- Alterwood Advantage
- CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield
- CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield Medicare Advantage
- Cigna
- Cigna Healthcare
- Communicare Advantage
- Erickson Advantage
- Humana
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD
- Johns Hopkins Health Plans
- Johns Hopkins HealthCare
- Kaiser Permanente
- Lasso Healthcare
- UnitedHealthcare
Top Ranked Plans in Maryland
According to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, here are the top-ranked Medicare Advantage Plans available in Maryland:
Top Medicare Advantage Plans in Maryland
| Provider | Plan ID | Plan Name | Premium | Limit | Stars |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Erickson Advantage | H5652-001 | Erickson Advantage Signature (HMO-POS) | $168.00 | $2,600 | 5.0 |
| Erickson Advantage | H5652-006 | Erickson Advantage Freedom (HMO-POS) | $64.00 | $4,300 | 5.0 |
| Erickson Advantage | H5652-008 | Erickson Advantage Liberty (HMO-POS) | $0.00 | $7,300 | 5.0 |
| Erickson Advantage | H5652-008 | Erickson Advantage Liberty with Drugs (HMO-POS) | $0.00 | $7,550 | 5.0 |
| Erickson Advantage | H5652-001 | Erickson Advantage Signature with Drugs (HMO-POS) | $197.00 | $2,600 | 5.0 |
| Kaiser Permanente | H2172-002 | Kaiser Permanente Medicare Advantage High MD (HMO-POS) | $141.00 | $5,700 | 5.0 |
| Kaiser Permanente | H2172-004 | Kaiser Permanente Medicare Advantage Standard MD (HMO-POS) | $23.00 | $6,900 | 5.0 |
| Kaiser Permanente | H2172-011 | Kaiser Permanente Medicare Advantage Value MD (HMO) | $0.00 | $7,200 | 5.0 |
| Kaiser Permanente | H2172-006 | Kaiser Permanente Medicare Advantage Value Balt (HMO) | $0.00 | $7,200 | 5.0 |
| Humana | H5216-376 | HumanaChoice H5216-376 (PPO) | $33.00 | $7,550 | 4.5 |
| Humana | H5216-387 | HumanaChoice H5216-387 (PPO) | $79.00 | $7,550 | 4.5 |
| Humana | H5216-029 | HumanaChoice H5216-029 (PPO) | $69.00 | $7,550 | 4.5 |
| Humana | H6622-081 | Humana Gold Plus H6622-081 (HMO) | $54.00 | $7,550 | 4.5 |
The top providers listed above do not tell the full story. That's because your Maryland 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.
Top-Rated Medicare Advantage Plans in Maryland by County
Choose your Maryland 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 Maryland
You may be looking at plans for several different reasons, including turning 65 or the Annual Enrollment Period. Or, perhaps you are navigating a special enrollment event, such as moving to a new area. In all of these cases, there are a few important details you need to consider.
1. Consider Your Expected Utilization
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. Examine Your Prescription Medication Expenses
Prescription drugs are often the main reason that seniors pay more for healthcare. Because most Maryland 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. Understand Your Additional Coverage Requirements
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
Medicare Advantage plans have healthcare provider networks. Unfortunately, not all specialists and primary care doctors accept all plans. Many people on Medicare in Maryland tell us it's difficult to find a plan their doctors take. We can help!
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Next Steps
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Frequently Asked Questions
Still have questions? These common questions and answers might help.
What are the pros and cons of a Medicare Advantage plan?
Medicare Advantage plans have several potential disadvantages. For instance, most plans require their members to use their network of providers. Also, costs are also largely based on your use of healthcare services, making it more difficult to budget for healthcare costs. And, most plans make members get referrals to see a specialist or prior authorization to receive a service. Read about all five disadvantages of Medicare Advantage plans.
How much do Medicare Advantage plans cost in Maryland?
A Medicare Advantage plan in Maryland costs an average of $56.97. 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 is every Medicare Advantage plan required to include?
At a minimum, every Medicare Advantage plan sold in Maryland 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
- Medicare.gov, "5-star special enrollment period", Last Accessed October 20, 2022
- Medicare.gov, "Medicare Advantage Plans", Last Accessed October 1, 2022
- KFF.org, "An Overview of the Medicare Part D Prescription Drug Benefit", Last Accessed October 19, 2022
- Medicare.gov, "Things to know about Medicare Advantage Plans", Last Accessed October 12, 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, Anthem Blue Cross, Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield, Aspire Health Plan, Baylor Scott & White Health Plan, Capital Blue Cross, Cigna Healthcare, Dean Health Plan, Devoted Health, Florida Blue Medicare, Freedom Health, GlobalHealth, Health Care Service Corporation, Healthy Blue, HealthSun, Humana, Molina Healthcare, Mutual of Omaha, Medica Central Health Plan, Optimum HealthCare, Premera Blue Cross, SCAN Health Plan, Simply, UnitedHealthcare(R), Wellcare, WellPoint.