Top Medicare Advantage Plans in Alabama for 2024
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Uncovering the Best Medicare Advantage Plans in Alabama
If you live in Alabama 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 Alabama, 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 Alabama
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Service (CMS) rates and reviews Alabama'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.
Alabama has 5-star Medicare Advantage plans available in 2024. Not all states and locations do. This year, the highest rated Medicare plans available in Alabama come from:
- VIVA Health
- VIVA Medicare
- Cigna
- Cigna Healthcare
MedicareWire recommends that you evaluate the plans offered by these Alabama 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 Alabama's Medicare Advantage plans. That's why it is so important to understand Medigap vs Medicare Advantage plans.
Complete List of Alabama's Providers
Alabama has 15 providers that offer Medicare Advantage plans. They include:
- Aetna
- Aetna Medicare
- Ascension Complete
- Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama
- Cigna
- Cigna Healthcare
- Clover Health
- Devoted Health
- Humana
- Lasso Healthcare
- UnitedHealthcare
- VIVA Health
- VIVA Medicare
- Wellcare
- Wellcare by Allwell
Top Alabama Plans by CMS 5-Star Score
According to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, here are the top-ranked Medicare Advantage Plans available in Alabama:
Top Medicare Advantage Plans in Alabama
Provider | Plan ID | Plan Name | Premium | Limit | Stars |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Cigna Healthcare | H4513-046 | Cigna Preferred AL Medicare (HMO) | $0.00 | $6,200 | 5.0 |
Cigna Healthcare | H4513-057 | Cigna Preferred Medicare (HMO) | $0.00 | $4,900 | 5.0 |
Cigna Healthcare | H4513-047 | Cigna Preferred Plus Medicare (HMO) | $28.00 | $4,500 | 5.0 |
VIVA Medicare | H0154-018 | VIVA Medicare Preferred (HMO) | $92.00 | $4,500 | 5.0 |
VIVA Medicare | H0154-017 | VIVA Medicare Classic (HMO) | $0.00 | $5,400 | 5.0 |
VIVA Medicare | H0154-015 | VIVA Medicare Plus (HMO) | $0.00 | $5,900 | 5.0 |
VIVA Medicare | H0154-011 | VIVA Medicare Premier (HMO) | $105.00 | $4,500 | 5.0 |
VIVA Medicare | H0154-016 | VIVA Medicare Prime (HMO) | $55.00 | $5,400 | 5.0 |
VIVA Medicare | H0154-020 | VIVA Medicare Infirmary Health Advantage (HMO) | $0.00 | $4,500 | 5.0 |
VIVA Medicare | H0154-014 | VIVA Medicare Me (HMO) | $0.00 | $5,400 | 5.0 |
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama | H0104-015 | Blue Advantage Premier (PPO) | $164.00 | $3,400 | 4.5 |
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama | H0104-012 | Blue Advantage Complete (PPO) | $0.00 | $5,100 | 4.5 |
Humana | H5216-368 | HumanaChoice H5216-368 (PPO) | $7.00 | $6,700 | 4.5 |
Humana | H5216-179 | Humana Value Plus H5216-179 (PPO) | $41.40 | $3,000 | 4.5 |
Humana | H5216-321 | HumanaChoice H5216-321 (PPO) | $0.00 | $5,500 | 4.5 |
Humana | H5216-142 | HumanaChoice H5216-142 (PPO) | $9.00 | $6,700 | 4.5 |
Humana | H5216-212 | HumanaChoice H5216-212 (PPO) | $0.00 | $5,900 | 4.5 |
Humana | H5216-096 | HumanaChoice H5216-096 (PPO) | $33.00 | $6,700 | 4.5 |
Humana | H5216-272 | HumanaChoice H5216-272 (PPO) | $0.00 | $5,900 | 4.5 |
Humana | H5216-269 | HumanaChoice H5216-269 (PPO) | $0.00 | $5,900 | 4.5 |
Humana | H5216-214 | HumanaChoice H5216-214 (PPO) | $11.00 | $6,700 | 4.5 |
Humana | H5216-179 | HumanaChoice H5216-179 (PPO) | $0.00 | $6,700 | 4.5 |
UnitedHealthcare | H2802-041 | AARP Medicare Advantage Plan 3 (HMO-POS) | $0.00 | $4,900 | 4.5 |
UnitedHealthcare | H1889-015 | AARP Medicare Advantage from UHC AL-0004 (PPO) | $0.00 | $5,900 | 4.5 |
Whether or not you can join a plan from one of the top-rated providers depends on where you live. If your Alabama County has the plan you want, and you qualify, you can enroll. Medicare Advantage plans are regional. Generally speaking, larger urban areas have more plan options than rural areas.
Best MA Plans in Alabama by County
Choose your Alabama 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 Alabama
If you’re approaching the age of 65, navigating a special enrollment event, or looking to review your plan options ahead of the Annual Enrollment Period, there are a number of details you need to consider when comparing your options.
1. Evaluate How You Plan to Use Your Benefits
Do you think you’ll take maximum advantage of your benefits (doctors, hospital inpatient care, tests, etc.)? If so, prioritize plans with lower out-of-pocket maximums and lower copayments, even if they have higher monthly premiums. Otherwise, look for plans with low monthly premiums. Just be aware that plans with low or no monthly premiums tend to have higher out-of-pocket maximums and/or higher deductibles.
2. Examine Your Prescription Medication Expenses
Prescription drugs are often the main reason that seniors pay more for healthcare. Because most Alabama 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. Assess Your Need for Supplemental 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. Consider Your Healthcare Providers
Medicare Advantage plans use healthcare provider networks, and not all primary care doctors and specialists accept all plans. For many Alabama 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 pros and cons of a Medicare Advantage plan?
Medicare Advantage plans can have some potential drawbacks. Many plans require members to use their provider network. Costs are also heavily influenced by how you use healthcare services. This makes it difficult to budget for healthcare expenses. Most plans require members to get referrals for specialists or authorization before they can receive healthcare services. Learn more about the pros and cons of Medicare Advantage plans.
Do Medicare Advantage plans pay 100% of all costs?
A Medicare Advantage plan in Alabama costs an average of $12.34. 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 do Medicare Advantage plans include?
Approved Medicare Advantage plans sold in Alabama must, at a minimum, cover everything that's in Original Medicare. But plans do not have to cover healthcare services at the same cost as Original Medicare. For example, Medicare Part A covers about 80% of hospital stays, skilled nursing care, home health care, and hospice care. Whereas Part B provides coverage for about 80% of outpatient services, including lab tests and doctor visits. Medicare Advantage plans set their own copays and deductibles, and often charge more than 20%. However, plans have an annual limit and Original Medicare doesn't.
Citations & References
- CMS.gov, 2023 Medicare Part C Landscape Source Files, Last Accessed January 13, 2023
- CMS.gov, "5-STAR PLAN RATINGS", Last Accessed October 22, 2022
- Medicare.gov, "Understanding Medicare Advantage Plans", Last Accessed October 16, 2022
- KFF.org, "An Overview of the Medicare Part D Prescription Drug Benefit", Last Accessed October 19, 2022
- Medicare.gov, "How to join a Medicare Advantage Plan", Last Accessed October 11, 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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