Best Cheap Medicare Advantage Plans in Florida
AARP/UnitedHealthcare has the best overall Medicare Advantage plans in Florida because of its cheap rates and good customer satisfaction.
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The average cost of a Medicare Advantage plan in Florida is $15 per month. But every Medicare-eligible resident has access to a plan that costs $0 per month.
Best and cheapest Medicare Advantage plans in Florida
ValuePenguin analyzed each Medicare Advantage plan in Florida, focusing on cost, reviews, coverage and availability. Rates only include Medicare Advantage plans that include prescription drug coverage, which is the type of plan that most people get.
Plan quality was assessed using the star ratings from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). The CMS ratings give each plan a score in several categories, including access to care, customer satisfaction and the claims process. Scores are on a five-point scale, with 5-star plans having the highest quality.
What are the best Medicare Advantage plans in Florida?
The best overall Medicare Advantage plans in Florida are from AARP/UnitedHealthcare.
The company has low average rates and high customer satisfaction. Plus, anyone in Florida can get a plan.
Humana is another top Medicare Advantage company in Florida because of its high-quality PPO plans that give you the flexibility to see any doctor. And for 5-star Medicare Advantage plans, choose Simply Healthcare, which is both cheap and high quality.
Compare Medicare Plans in Your Area
While these top companies are good for most shoppers, your needs may be different. The best Medicare Advantage plan for you will depend on where you live, your monthly budget and which benefits are important to you.
Medicare Advantage, also called Medicare Part C, lets you bundle your Medicare benefits in one policy and get access to extra coverage. In Florida, more than half of Medicare enrollees are signed up for a Medicare Advantage plan. Medicare Advantage plans may have a monthly fee. You also have to pay $174.70 per month for Medicare Part B.
AARP/UnitedHealthcare: Best overall
AARP Medicare Advantage plans are the best for most Florida residents.
The company has cheap rates and good extra perks. Plus, you can get an AARP Medicare plan no matter where you live in Florida.
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Star rating
- Monthly rate: $1 ?
Why it's great
- Most plans have no monthly cost
- Includes many extra perks
- Available statewide
UnitedHealthcare (UHC) sells at least one $0-per-month plan in every county. But the company's average rate is $1 per month, because a few plans in Collier County around Naples have a higher monthly cost.
UnitedHealthcare has good customer satisfaction. The company is well rated on Medicare.gov, with an average of 4.1 stars out of 5 in Florida. It's also the second-highest-rated Medicare Advantage company in Florida, according to J.D. Power.
Nationally, UnitedHealthcare is one of the best Medicare Advantage because of its high ratings, good benefits and valuable add-ons such as free gym memberships and a credit toward over-the-counter products.
UnitedHealthcare is one of the largest health insurance companies in the country. It sells about 29% of all Medicare Advantage plans in the U.S., the most of any company.
Over 1.3 million health care professionals and 6,500 hospitals and medical facilities accept UnitedHealthcare insurance. This means you're likely to have access to a wide range of doctors.
Most plans will have both AARP and UnitedHealthcare in their name. That's because AARP helps promote Medicare plans from UnitedHealthcare. However, you don't have to join AARP to buy a plan.
Humana: Best for flexibility about your doctors
Humana has the highest-rated Medicare Advantage PPO plans in Florida.
Humana Medicare Advantage has great customer satisfaction in Florida. Plus, its affordable PPO plans are well rated and will give you coverage to go to a doctor or hospital that's not affiliated with Humana.
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Star rating
- Monthly rate: $30 ?
Why it's great
- Often has no costs for common prescriptions
- May cover emergencies when traveling internationally
- Very cheap options can lower your other monthly costs
With a PPO plan, you'll have some coverage if you go to an out-of-network doctor or hospital. This can be useful if you often see specialists or want more choice about where you get medical care.
Humana has an average of 4.4 out of 5 stars on Medicare.gov for its local PPO plans in Florida. Its PPO plans are rated better than other types of plans it sells. They're also higher rated than PPO plans from other companies.
Humana sells cheap PPO plans throughout Florida, costing an average of $6 per month for a local PPO . Plus, most people can choose a plan that caps your medical expenses at $3,400 per year. This is a good deal that can protect you from very high costs if you get sick.
However, if monthly costs are more important to you than ratings, choose a PPO plan from AARP/UnitedHealthcare, which has no monthly cost. However, its PPO plans have lower ratings of 4 stars, instead of Humana's 4.4 stars.
Simply Healthcare: Best 5 Star Medicare Advantage plans in Florida
Simply Healthcare plans have 5-stars and no monthly cost, giving you affordable and high-quality coverage.
The company only sells plans with no monthly premium, has good quality reviews and is widely available.
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Star rating
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Monthly rate
$0 ?
Why it's great
- All plan options cost $0 per month
- High average star rating from Medicare.gov
- Available to 89% of the Medicare-eligible population in Florida
Simply Healthcare is owned by Elevance Health (formerly Anthem), which is part of the Blue Cross Blue Shield family of companies.
The company has high scores across most of the areas where it's rated, including its customer service and the quality of health care you get.
Many plans also include extras such as SilverSneakers, coverage for over-the-counter items at the pharmacy, telehealth appointments, in-home support for daily living activities and a cash allowance for routine expenses like utilities or eyeglasses.
While 5-star plans have high-quality medical benefits and good customer satisfaction, there are other drawbacks such as a smaller network of doctors. Even though enrollees are very satisfied with their plans, you could face issues such as finding an in-network doctor that's accepting new patients or getting approval from the insurance company before treatment.
Which companies sell 5-star Medicare Advantage plans in FL?
In Florida, 5-star Medicare Advantage plans are sold by:
- AARP/UnitedHealthcare
- Devoted Health
- Humana
- Leon Health Plans
- Optimum HealthCare
- Simply Healthcare Plans
Aetna: Best for extra perks
Aetna offers a long list of added benefits with its Medicare Advantage plans.
The company only sells plans that cost $0 per month in Florida. However, Aetna isn't rated as highly as UnitedHealthcare or Simply Healthcare.
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Star rating
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Monthly rate
$0 ?
Why it's great
- Every plan costs $0 per month
- Offers lots of added perks and benefits
- Available to 94% of the Medicare-eligible population in Florida
Most of Aetna's plans include vision, dental and hearing benefits. Most plans also give you access to a 24/7 nurse line, SilverSneakers, home visits and home delivery for your prescriptions.
You'll also usually get a monthly allowance for over-the-counter purchases such as cold medicine or first aid supplies. Aetna also provides referrals or support for things like in-home care, community transportation and home modifications for safety or mobility.
In Florida, Aetna's PPO plans generally have higher ratings than its HMO plans. With an HMO plan, you'll get better coverage for medical care but have less flexibility when it comes to your doctors.
Be sure to check your prescription costs when you're comparing plans because Aetna has below-average ratings for its prescription price accuracy on the Medicare.gov plan finder.
Florida Blue HMO: Best for customer service
Florida Blue HMO received 5 out of 5 stars for its customer service, according to Medicare.gov.
If you have to contact Florida Blue to manage your coverage or benefits, you'll likely have a much better experience than if you were dealing with another insurance company.
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Star rating
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Monthly rate
$1 ?
Why it's great
- Most plans cost $0 per month
- Offers lots of added perks and benefits
- Available to 91% of the Medicare-eligible population in Florida
Florida Blue has separate companies for its HMO and PPO Medicare Advantage plans. It's HMO plans are higher quality, earning 4 stars overall and the highest possible score for customer satisfaction.
Florida Blue's HMOs plans have a large network of doctors and hospitals, which can give you flexibility over where you get your medical care. However, you should avoid Florida Blue's PPO plans, which are expensive and poorly rated. If you want a PPO plan, chose Humana.
Medicare plans from Florida Blue include many perks such as dental, vision, hearing and SilverSneakers. Most plans also include a rewards program where you could earn more than $100 for activities like check-ups, cancer screenings and getting the flu shot.
The downside of Florida Blue HMO plans is that some people struggle to get the medical care they need. About one-third of the people who switched to another company said it was because of problems with medical coverage. That's higher than the statewide average of 25%.
Medicare Advantage availability in Florida
Where you live in Florida determines how many Medicare Advantage plans you have to choose from. Areas of the state that have a higher population tend to have more plan options. You'll have the most plan options in the Tampa and Fort Lauderdale areas.
Number of Florida Medicare Advantage plans by county
How many Medicare Advantage plans sold in each Florida county
Florida county | Number of Medicare Advantage plans |
---|---|
Alachua | 21 |
Baker | 21 |
Bay | 23 |
Bradford | 16 |
Brevard | 39 |
Florida Medicare enrollment statistics
- Medicare-eligible residents in Florida: 5.0 million
- Medicare Advantage enrollees in Florida: 2.8 million
- Number of Medicare Advantage companies in Florida: 25
- Average monthly cost of Medicare Advantage in Florida: $15
How to choose the best Medicare Advantage plan for you
No matter where you live in Florida, it's a good idea to compare Medicare Advantage plans. Reviewing the plan options in your area and understanding your needs helps you match a plan to your situation.
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Compare quotes for the plans available in your area to find the best quality plan at the lowest cost.
- Match your health care needs to the plan you want so you get the best deal on the total cost of your health care and insurance.
- Consider the plan's specialty care options if you want to make sure you have coverage for skilled nursing, physical therapy, dental care or something else.
- Review HMO plans if you want cheaper rates for in-network doctors and facilities. But remember that these plans usually require referrals from a primary care doctor before you're covered to see a specialist.
- Check that your medications are covered by the company's drug coverage so you can minimize how much you pay out of pocket for prescription drugs.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best Medicare Advantage plan in Florida?
AARP/UnitedHealthcare has the best Medicare Advantage plans in Florida because of its cheap rates, excellent customer satisfaction and overall good benefits. If you prefer more flexibility about your doctors, choose Humana, which has high-quality PPO plans.
What are the top-rated Medicare Advantage plans in Florida?
Simply Healthcare has the best 5-star Medicare Advantage plans in Florida. But based on where you live, you may have access to 5-star plans from AARP/UnitedHealthcare, Devoted Health, Humana, Leon Health Plans, Optimum HealthCare or Simply Healthcare.
How much does Medicare Advantage cost in Florida?
The average cost of a Medicare Advantage plan in Florida is $15 per month. But in every county in Florida, you can get a $0 Medicare Advantage plan that includes prescription benefits. This means you won't pay anything on top of the $174.70 per month you pay for Medicare Plan B.
Methodology
ValuePenguin's analysis is based on all Medicare Advantage plans in Florida that include prescription drug coverage. Companies and plans were compared using average rate data, CMS star ratings, availability, plan features and coverage benefits.
Data is sourced from Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) public use files, insurance company websites, University of Iowa's population data and Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF).
Employer group plans, Medicare-Medicaid Plans (MMPs), Medical Savings Account (MSA) plans, Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) plans, prepayment plans (HCPPs), sanctioned plans and Special Needs Plans (SNPs) are excluded from average rates and plan analysis.
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Medicare Advantage and Part D plans and benefits are offered by these carriers: Aetna Medicare, Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield, Anthem Blue Cross, Aspire Health Plan, Cigna Healthcare, Dean Health Plan, Devoted Health, Florida Blue Medicare, GlobalHealth, Health Care Service Corporation, Healthy Blue, Humana, Molina Healthcare, Mutual of Omaha, Premera Blue Cross, Medica Central Health Plan, SCAN Health Plan, Baylor Scott & White Health Plan, Simply, UnitedHealthcare, Wellcare and WellPoint.
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