Compare Medicare Advantage (Part C) plans

Find and compare Medicare Advantage plans from UnitedHealthcare

Do you want the simplicity of one plan to meet your health care needs? A Medicare Advantage (Part C) plan may be the answer.

Medicare Advantage plans combine Medicare Part A (hospital stays) and Part B (doctor visits) — also known as Original Medicare — in a single plan. Most plans include prescription drug (Part D) coverage. Many plans offer additional benefits and features like routine vision, hearing, dental and fitness coverage not provided by Original Medicare.

UnitedHealthcare Medicare plans are there for what matters to you, today and tomorrow. With plans designed for all styles, stages and ages of Medicare, there’s a UnitedHealthcare plan to fit your life.

Compare 2025 Medicare Advantage plans

Depending on where you live and your personal situation, UnitedHealthcare may offer several types of Medicare Advantage plans to choose from. In addition to plans varying by the benefits they offer, there are also differences in cost and provider networks. Not all plans are available in all areas.

UnitedHealthcare HMO and PPO plans — access to the UnitedHealthcare^® Medicare national network

United Healthcare HMO plans give you access to a local network of doctors and hospitals, including a primary care provider (PCP) to help coordinate your unique health care needs. You'll need to get care from doctors and providers in the network and you select a PCP to help coordinate your care. If you use a provider that isn't in the national network, you may have to pay for the service yourself.¹ Many plans include UnitedHealthcare Passport®, which gives you the network costs and benefits of your plan when you travel. Many HMO plans have a low or $0 monthly premium.

HMO-POS (Point of Service) plans give you access to a local network of doctors and hospitals, including a PCP to coordinate your care. Plus, you can see out-of-network doctors and providers for certain covered services.

Many UnitedHealthcare HMO plans also give you access to care across the country at network costs using the UnitedHealthcare® Medicare National Network, the nation’s largest network of top doctors and specialists.²

¹Emergency care, urgent care, and out-of-area dialysis services are covered where you need them.

²Networks vary by market.

UnitedHealthcare PPO plans give you freedom to see any doctor nationwide that accepts Medicare, without referrals for specialist or hospital visits. Many plans also provide access to in-network costs when you see doctors participating in the UnitedHealthcare Medicare National Network. Many PPO plans have a low or $0 monthly premium.

Networks vary by market and exclusions may apply. You can see any doctor who accepts Medicare but costs may be lower with a network doctor.

UnitedHealthcare PFFS plans — freedom of choice

A PFFS plan doesn't have a network. It gives you the freedom to see any Medicare-approved doctor that accepts the plan's terms. If a PFFS plan doesn't include prescription drug coverage, you can purchase a separate, standalone prescription drug plan.

UnitedHealthcare Special Needs plans — plans for unique needs

A Special Needs plan (SNP) is a type of Medicare Advantage plan. SNPs have a provider network and serve people that qualify with special health care or financial needs. All SNPs include prescription drug (Part D) coverage.

Medicare Advantage plan features compared


	HMO and HMO-POS	PPO	PFFS	SNP
May be good choice if you:	can get all the services you need within the network	want choices outside the care network	want to see specialists without referrals	have qualifying health or financial needs
Has a contracted network of doctors and hospitals	Yes	Yes	No	Yes
Must choose primary care provider from plan network	Yes	No	No	Yes
Must use doctors and providers within the plan network for covered services	HMO - Yes HMO-POS – No, but costs more out-of-network	No, but costs more out-of-network	No	Yes
Referral required to see a specialist	Varies by plan	No	No	Yes
May include drug coverage	Yes	Yes	Yes	All include drug coverage

When can you enroll in a Medicare Advantage plan?

Most people become eligible for Medicare coverage when they turn 65 or have a qualifying disability or medical condition. If this describes you, read about the Initial Enrollment Period (IEP).

If you already have Medicare coverage and want to enroll in a different plan type, you can change at these times:

The Annual Enrollment Period (AEP), October 15 to December 7
The Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period (MA OEP), January 1 to March 31
A Special Enrollment Period (SEP) for qualifying life events; dates vary

See the changing plans page to learn more about these enrollment periods and their rules.

Choosing a Medicare Advantage plan that fits your budget

Generally, Medicare Advantage (Part C) plans have a low or $0 monthly plan premium and offer more coverage than Original Medicare alone.

Unlike Original Medicare, Medicare Advantage plans limit the amount you pay out-of-pocket each year. Once you reach that limit, called the out-of-pocket maximum, the plan pays 100% of costs for the rest of the year.

When comparing Medicare Advantage plans, these questions can help you decide which plan fits your budget:

How much is the monthly premium?
How much is the annual deductible?
How much are the copays and coinsurance?

Choosing a Medicare Advantage plan with the right benefits

All Medicare Advantage plans include at least the same coverage as Original Medicare Part A and Part B, but that’s where the similarity ends.

All plans also have added benefits and features Original Medicare doesn’t have — but may be very different in exactly what they offer. Think about what extra coverage is important to you when comparing different Medicare Advantage plans.

Ask yourself the following questions:

Does the plan offer prescription drug (Part D) coverage?
Does the plan cover eye exams or glasses and contact lenses?
Does the plan have dental coverage?
Does the plan have health and wellness benefits, like a gym membership?

Medicare Advantage plans and prescription drug coverage

A Medicare Advantage plan that includes prescription drug coverage is ideal if you don’t want a separate Part D plan. Plus, your premium is often lower for a Medicare Advantage plan that includes prescription drugs, than a Part D plan alone.

If you’re considering a Medicare Advantage plan with prescription drug coverage, keep these questions in mind when comparing:

Does the plan’s drug list (formulary) cover your current medications?
How much will your drugs cost on the different plans?
Will switching from a brand-name drug to a generic drug save you money?
Is your local pharmacy included in the plan’s pharmacy network?
Are you willing to use a mail order pharmacy to lower costs?

Comparing Medicare Advantage costs

When comparing the costs for different Medicare Advantage plans, it’s important to compare your monthly plan premiums and your out-of-pocket costs. Comparing monthly plan premiums is pretty simple, as this cost is consistent regardless of the health services you use. Your out-of-pocket costs — deductibles, copays and coinsurance — can be trickier to calculate. These costs are how Medicare shares costs with you, and the total amount you pay is influenced by what healthcare services and items you use each year.

A deductible is an amount that the insured person must pay for their own care before the plan starts to pitch in.
A copay is a set amount paid for a medical service or prescription drug. For example, the copay for a doctor visit may be $15 with one plan and $20 with another.
Coinsurance is when the cost is split between the plan and the insured person. For example, the person pays 20% and the plan pays 80%.

Tips for managing your out-of-pocket Medicare Advantage costs

Tip 1: Make a list of all the healthcare items and services you used in the last year. Include how many times you used them (e.g., doctor visits). Then, take the copay of each plan and multiply it by each healthcare service or item on your list. It’s not perfect but doing this may help you get an idea of what you could pay for the year in copays.
Tip 2: There may be trade-offs, too. Plans with low premiums may have high out-of-pocket costs and vice versa. Some plans may include no-cost benefits such as gym memberships or a nurse line that could offset other costs. Plans that offer prescription drug, dental, and vision benefits may be compared to those that don’t.

Comparing Medicare Advantage and Medicare Supplement plans

To decide whether a Medicare Advantage plan or a Medicare Supplement insurance plan is a better fit for you, compare them side by side.

UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage information and tools

UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage plans

To make it easier to find the plan you need, UnitedHealthcare provides information and tools to help you be informed before you choose. Find out more about the benefits of Medicare Advantage plans from UnitedHealthcare.

Learn more about Medicare Advantage plans