Best Cheap Medicare Plans in Ohio

The company offers four high-quality Medicare Advantage plans in Ohio, three of which have perfect 5-star ratings from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). And its average rate is just $4 per month, making it a great choice for budget shoppers.

The average cost of a Medicare Advantage plan in Ohio is $35 per month, but everyone in the state has access to a $0-per-month plan.

What are the best Medicare Advantage plans in Ohio?

These companies have good rates, high customer satisfaction and are available across most of the state. Other good choices include Paramount Elite, MediGold, The Health Plan and Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield.

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Devoted Health: Best overall

The company offers four plans in Ohio: Choice, Core, Giveback and Prime. Choice, Core and Giveback are all free Medicare Advantage plans, although you will still pay the standard $174.70 each month for Medicare Part B.

The Devoted Health Choice plan is best if you want the flexibility to choose your doctors. That's because it's the only PPO plan that Devoted Health sells in Ohio. PPOs let you use any doctor and still have some coverage, but you'll pay more to see doctors that aren't in the network. And you can see a specialist without a referral. You have to pay the first $150 for your prescriptions, though. And you could pay up to $5,300 in medical bills each year before the plan begins to cover all your health care costs.

If you tend to have high medical costs, the Devoted Health Prime plan is the best option. Depending on where you live, it costs either $14 or $19 per month, but it pays for more of your medical bills than Devoted Health's free plans. Your prescription medications will be covered right away, because the plan has no drug deductible. And the most you might pay in a year for medical care is $3,900. After you hit that amount, the plan pays for all of your covered care. Keep in mind that Prime is an HMO, so you have to stay within the doctor network to have coverage. You also have to get specialist visits approved by your primary care doctor.

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AARP/UnitedHealthcare (AARP/UHC): Best for perks

Plans are cheap, with an average rate of $18 per month, and several $0-per-month plans are available. You don't have to be an AARP member to sign up for an AARP/UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage plan.

AARP/UHC Plan 0004 is a good choice if you travel often or take prescription medications. You can see any doctor and still have some coverage because it's a PPO. And it doesn't have a monthly rate, which is unusual for PPO plans. There's also no drug deductible, so you'll have coverage for prescription medications immediately. It may not be the best plan if you have high medical costs, though. You could pay up to $5,100 each year for medical care, which is a higher out-of-pocket maximum than many other plans.

Plan 0002 is a good choice for extra benefits. While all of AARP/UHC's plans have good perks, like vision and dental coverage, this plan is one of the most robust. It has vision, dental and hearing coverage, as well as a free gym membership. Plan 0002 also gives you up to 28 meals delivered to your home after a hospital stay. It has no monthly rate and no drug deductible. The medical costs you could pay each year are capped at $4,900, which is higher than the out-of-pocket maximum from other companies, but average for AARP/UHC.

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Humana: Best for $0 plans

Not all of Humana's plans are free, but it sells eight plans with no monthly cost. Three of the $0-per-month plans are PPOs, which give you the flexibility to go to doctors that aren't in the plans' network. Humana also has good customer service, and its plans are well-rated by Medicare.gov.

The Humana GoldPlus (H6622-022) plan is a good choice if you have ongoing medical needs, like a chronic condition. The plan covers your health care and medication costs right away, since it has no deductibles. There is no copay for seeing your primary care doctor, and a $35 copay for in-network specialists. And if you have to stay in the hospital for more than six days, you won't have a daily charge. For stays of less than six days, the charge is $350 per day.

The Humana USAA Honor with RX plan is the best option for veterans. The plan was specifically designed to complement the health care benefits from Veterans Affairs (VA). For example, the plan gives you the option of filling prescription medications at a pharmacy in Humana's network or at a VA pharmacy. It also includes monthly payments on your Social Security check each month to lower the cost of Medicare Part B, which is called a Part B giveback option.

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Other top-rated Medicare Advantage plans in Ohio

PrimeTime sells four Medicare Advantage plans in Ohio, all of which have a perfect 5-star rating from Medicare.gov. Two of its plans have no monthly rate, but the other two are more expensive than many other high-quality options in Ohio. PrimeTime's plans are a good option for quality coverage. But the company's average rate is higher than the state average, and its plans are only available to one-third of Medicare-eligible people in Ohio.

UPMC for Life also sells four Medicare Advantage plans in Ohio, all of which have a 5-star rating. While its plans are high quality, they can be expensive. One of UPMC for Life's four plans costs an average of $295 per month. UPMC only sells plans in two Ohio counties near the border with Pennsylvania: Harrison and Jefferson. Only 1% of the state's Medicare-eligible population lives in these counties.

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Medicare Advantage availability in Ohio

No matter where you live in Ohio, you'll have at least 31 Medicare Advantage plans to choose from. In the counties near Cleveland, Akron and Cincinnati, there are over 70 plans available.

Number of Medicare Advantage plans by county in Ohio

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How to enroll in a Medicare Advantage plan in Ohio

Eligibility: Most people become eligible for Medicare at age 65, but you can also qualify if you have a disability, end-stage kidney disease or Lou Gehrig's disease. The first step to getting Medicare is to apply for benefits through the Social Security Administration. After this process, you'll get your Medicare card and your Medicare number.

Types of Medicare: The basic coverage from Medicare is Parts A and B. Part A covers hospitalization and Part B covers outpatient health care, like doctor visits. Together, these two coverage types are called Original Medicare. Everyone on Medicare has Parts A and B. A Medicare Advantage plan bundles Parts A and B, and usually has drug coverage and extra benefits.

Costs: A Medicare Advantage plan in Ohio can cost as little as $0 per month or as much as $295 per month. To choose the best plan, try to balance the monthly cost for a plan with its medical benefits. You can see all of the Medicare Advantage plans available in your area on Medicare.gov.

Applying: You can complete a Medicare Advantage application with an insurance company or on Medicare.gov. To fill out the application, you'll need to enter the number from your Medicare card to show that you're eligible. You cannot be denied coverage if you apply for Medicare during open enrollment between Oct. 15 and Dec. 7 each year or your initial enrollment period. You also can't be denied coverage if you sign up during a special enrollment period, like if you've moved or if Medicare canceled your existing plan.

If you need help, the Ohio Department of Insurance offers free assistance and information to help you get the coverage you need.

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Frequently asked questions

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Methodology and sources

Ohio Medicare Advantage rates are from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) public use files. Using this data, ValuePenguin calculated average rates based on all Medicare Advantage plans in Ohio with prescription drug coverage. Star ratings, availability, plan benefits and extra perks were also used to determine the best companies. The percentage of the Medicare-eligible population each plan is available to is based on the University of Iowa's data on the Medicare eligible population of each county in Ohio.

This analysis excludes employer and 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).