Aetna vs. Kaiser Permanente (2026 Comparison)

Aetna vs. Kaiser Permanente: ACA Health Insurance

As of January 1, 2026, Aetna no longer offers plans on the ACA marketplace. That leaves Kaiser Permanente as the only option between the two for private health insurance. Kaiser Permanente provides HMO and EPO plans in seven states, featuring competitive premiums and strong Quality Rating System (QRS) ratings.


Availability	N/A	7 States
Plan Types	N/A	HMO, EPO
Avg. QRS Score	N/A	94.6
Avg. Denial Rate	N/A	8.3%

ACA State Availability
N/A
California, Colorado, Hawaii, Maryland, Oregon, Virginia, Washington
Plan Types
N/A
HMO, EPO
Kaiser Permanente offers ACA marketplace coverage in seven states, with both HMO and EPO plan choices available. Aetna has withdrawn from the individual market and no longer provides ACA plans.
- HMO plans require members to select a primary care doctor who manages their treatment and issues referrals for specialist visits.
- EPO plans provide added flexibility by letting you see specialists without a referral, but coverage is limited to providers within the plan’s network.
HMO
N/A
$598
$678
EPO
N/A
$548
$731
Kaiser Permanente's health insurance premiums run below the national average across both of its available plan types. Its HMO plans average $598 per month, compared to the $678 national average, while its EPO plans average $548 per month against a $731 national average. That's a $183 monthly gap on the EPO side alone, which adds up to $2,196 per year in savings.
Overall QRS Score
N/A
94.6
Medical Care QRS Score
N/A
96.11
Member Experience QRS Score
N/A
91.51
Plan Administration QRS Score
N/A
91.68
Avg. Denial Rate
N/A
8.3%
Kaiser Permanente has strong Qualified Rating System (QRS) scores across every measured category. Its overall QRS score is 94.6, with Medical Care scoring 96.11, Member Experience at 91.51 and Plan Administration at 91.68. Its average claim denial rate of 8.3% is also well below the 18% national average for ACA health insurance companies.


ACA State Availability	N/A	California, Colorado, Hawaii, Maryland, Oregon, Virginia, Washington
Plan Types	N/A	HMO, EPO


HMO	N/A	$598	$678
EPO	N/A	$548	$731


Overall QRS Score	N/A	94.6
Medical Care QRS Score	N/A	96.11
Member Experience QRS Score	N/A	91.51
Plan Administration QRS Score	N/A	91.68
Avg. Denial Rate	N/A	8.3%

Aetna vs. Kaiser Permanente Medicare Supplement

Aetna offers Medicare Supplement (Medigap) coverage in 43 states, with a lineup of seven out of ten standardized plans, including A, B, C, D, F, G and N. It also provides high-deductible versions of Plans F and G. Most Aetna policies use attained-age pricing, meaning premiums increase as you get older.

Kaiser Permanente, however, doesn’t offer Medicare Supplement plans, so Aetna is the only option between the two if you’re looking for Medigap coverage.


Availability	43 States	N/A
Plan Types	A, B, C, D, F, G, N	N/A
High-Deductible F and G	Yes	N/A
Dominant Pricing Style	Attained Age	N/A

Aetna sells Medicare Supplement plans in 43 states, making it one of the broader options for Medigap coverage. Popular Plans A, F, G and N are available in nearly every listed state. Plan B is available in most states except for Alaska, Arkansas, Georgia, New Mexico and Rhode Island. New Jersey and Vermont are the only states where Aetna offers Plans C and D, while Ohio is the only state without Plan N.


Alabama	A, B, F, G, N	N/A
Alaska	A, F, G, N	N/A
Arizona	A, B, F, G, N	N/A
Arkansas	A, F, G, N	N/A
California	A, B, F, G, N	N/A
Colorado	A, B, F, G, N	N/A
Delaware	A, B, F, G, N	N/A
Florida	A, B, F, G, N	N/A
Georgia	A, F, G, N	N/A
Idaho	A, B, F, G, N	N/A
Indiana	A, B, F, G, N	N/A
Iowa	A, B, F, G, N	N/A
Kansas	A, B, F, G, N	N/A
Kentucky	A, B, F, G, N	N/A
Louisiana	A, B, F, G, N	N/A
Maryland	A, B, F, G, N	N/A
Michigan	A, B, F, G, N	N/A
Minnesota	Meets state standards	N/A
Mississippi	A, B, F, G, N	N/A
Missouri	A, B, F, G, N	N/A
Montana	A, B, F, G, N	N/A
Nebraska	A, B, F, G, N	N/A
Nevada	A, B, F, G, N	N/A
New Hampshire	A, B, F, G, N	N/A
New Jersey	A, B, C, D, F, G, N	N/A
New Mexico	A, F, G, N	N/A
North Carolina	A, B, F, G, N	N/A
North Dakota	A, B, F, G, N	N/A
Ohio	A, B, F, G	N/A
Oklahoma	A, B, F, G, N	N/A
Oregon	A, B, F, G, N	N/A
Pennsylvania	A, B, F, G, N	N/A
Rhode Island	A, F, G, N	N/A
South Carolina	A, B, F, G, N	N/A
South Dakota	A, B, F, G, N	N/A
Tennessee	A, B, F, G, N	N/A
Texas	A, B, F, G, N	N/A
Utah	A, B, F, G, N	N/A
Vermont	A, B, C, D, F, N	N/A
Virginia	A, B, F, G, N	N/A
West Virginia	A, B, F, G, N	N/A
Wisconsin	Medigap Basic Plan	N/A
Wyoming	A, B, F, G, N	N/A

Aetna's Medicare Supplement premiums vary by plan type and rise with age with their Attained Age Pricing structure. For a 65-year-old, monthly costs range from $144 for Plan G to $276 for Plan C. Plan F and Plan N are both good mid-range options for enrollees who want broader coverage without paying Plan C or B prices. By age 75, premiums increase across every plan, with the same $144 Plan G rising to $169 and Plan C climbing to $325.


A	$206	N/A	$242	N/A
B	$244	N/A	$286	N/A
C	$276	N/A	$325	N/A
D	$217	N/A	$250	N/A
F	$185	N/A	$215	N/A
G	$144	N/A	$169	N/A
N	$172	N/A	$206	N/A

Aetna vs. Kaiser Permanente Medicare Advantage

Aetna and Kaiser Permanente both sell Medicare Advantage plans, but they differ in availability, quality and cost. Aetna operates in 43 states, while Kaiser Permanente is only available in eight.

Kaiser Permanente leads in quality, earning an average CMS star rating of 4.37 compared to Aetna’s 3.88. But Aetna leads on price, with 62% of its plans featuring $0 premiums versus 36% for Kaiser Permanente. Aetna also offers greater plan flexibility, including HMO, HMO-POS and PPO options, while Kaiser Permanente is limited to just HMO and HMO-POS plans. Both insurers include enhanced prescription drug benefits.


Availability	43 States	8 States
Plan Types	HMO, HMO-POS, PPO	HMO, HMO-POS
Avg. CMS Star Rating	3.88	4.37
Drug Benefits	Enhanced	Enhanced
% $0 Premium Plans	62%	36%

Aetna has Medicare Advantage plans in 43 states, compared to Kaiser Permanente’s presence in only eight states, giving Aetna a much wider geographic footprint. Kaiser Permanente does have a unique presence in Hawaii, where Aetna doesn’t operate.

In terms of coverage structure, Aetna provides both in-network and out-of-network options through its HMO, HMO-POS and PPO plans. Kaiser Permanente limits members to in-network care with its HMO and HMO-POS plans.
- Aetna Availability: Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin
- Kaiser Permanente Availability: California, Colorado, Georgia, Hawaii, Maryland, Oregon, Virginia, Washington


HMO	76%	38%	$7	$46	$5,020	$4,815
HMO-POS	66%	31%	$6	$46	$5,643	$5,708
PPO	56%	N/A	$88	N/A	$5,168	N/A

Aetna’s Medicare Advantage plans cost less on average across every plan type the two insurers share. Its HMO plans average $7 per month, compared to $46 for Kaiser Permanente. Additionally, 76% of Aetna’s HMO plans have $0 premiums, while only 38% Kaiser Permanente plans have no premium.

The pricing gap is similar for HMO-POS plans, with Aetna averaging $6 per month and Kaiser Permanente again at $46. Aetna also offers a higher share of $0-premium options in this category.

Kaiser Permanente's HMO out-of-pocket maximum averages $4,815, $205 below Aetna's $5,020. For HMO-POS plans, Aetna has a slightly lower MOOP limit. Aetna is also the only one of the two to offer PPO plans, which average $88 per month and feature a $5,168 maximum out-of-pocket limit.

HMO
4.14
4.37
HMO-POS
3.41
4.37
PPO
4.05
N/A
Kaiser Permanente outperforms Aetna in CMS star ratings, showing higher quality of care. Its HMO plans average 4.37 stars, compared to 4.14 for Aetna. The difference is even more pronounced for HMO-POS plans, where Kaiser Permanente again averages 4.37 stars while Aetna trails at 3.41, nearly a full star lower.
Aetna’s HMO-POS rating is the only score below 4.0 between the two insurers, which is significant because plans rated 4 stars or higher qualify for special enrollment periods and come with additional member benefits.
Aetna is the only carrier with PPO plans, which hold a 4.05-star average. Still, among the plan types both companies share, Kaiser Permanente has the stronger overall quality ratings.


HMO	4.14	4.37
HMO-POS	3.41	4.37
PPO	4.05	N/A

Bottom Line

Kaiser Permanente is your only option for ACA coverage between the two companies, with competitive premiums and strong QRS scores. Aetna, meanwhile, is the only provider with Medicare Supplement coverage. For Medicare Advantage, the better provider depends on your priorities. Aetna has broader availability and lower Medicare Advantage premiums, while Kaiser Permanente delivers higher CMS star ratings and lower maximum out-of-pocket limits.

About Mark Fitzpatrick

Mark Fitzpatrick, a Licensed Property and Casualty Insurance Producer, is MoneyGeek's resident Personal Finance Expert. He has analyzed the insurance market for over five years, conducting original research for insurance shoppers. His insights have been featured in CNBC, NBC News and Mashable.

Fitzpatrick holds a master’s degree in economics and international relations from Johns Hopkins University and a bachelor’s degree from Boston College. He's also a five-time Jeopardy champion!

He writes about economics and insurance, breaking down complex topics so people know what they're buying.

Read Full Bio »

Aetna vs. Kaiser Permanente (2026 Comparison)

Aetna vs. Kaiser Permanente: ACA Health Insurance

Plan & State Availability

Pricing

Customer Experience

Aetna vs. Kaiser Permanente Medicare Supplement

Plan & State Availability

Pricing

Aetna vs. Kaiser Permanente Medicare Advantage

Plan & State Availability

Pricing

CMS Star Ratings

Bottom Line

Related Pages