bestMedicare AdvantageConnecticutMoneyGeek used the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) five-star quality rating system to identify the best and most widely available plans in Connecticut. We ranked the best Medicare Advantage Plans in Connecticut based on plan type, whether you need drug coverage and whether you want to limit out-of-pocket costs.
However, it is important to shop around and find a plan that fits your specific needs. You should also make sure the plan provides access to the hospitals and providers you want.
If you're not looking for a Medicare Advantage plan but want to cover out-of-pocket costs that your base Medicare plan doesn't cover, MoneyGeek also ranked the best Medicare Supplement Plans in Connecticut.
bestMedicare AdvantageConnecticutBest Medicare Advantage Plans in Connecticut
Best plan overall - Aetna Medicare
Best HMO plan - CarePartners of Connecticut
Best plan without drug coverage - CarePartners of Connecticut
Best plan for low out-of-pocket costs - WellCare
Best Medicare Advantage Plan in Connecticut - Overall
The best Medicare Advantage Plan for you will depend on your individual needs. For a sample shopper in Connecticut who wants a PPO plan with drug coverage, six core benefits and a high star rating from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), MoneyGeek found that the Aetna Medicare Elite Plan and Aetna Medicare Essential Elite Plan are the best options.
The benefit of choosing a PPO plan is that you have access to a wider network of providers. You also do not require a referral to see a specialist, so for those who can afford it, a PPO plan offers good flexibility.
Aetna Medicare
MoneyGeek found that Aetna Medicare Elite Plan by Aetna Medicare could be the best option in Connecticut if you are looking for a PPO plan, but it is always important to pick a plan that fits your particular needs.
The Aetna Medicare Elite Plan features:
- No premium
- Offers drug coverage with no deductible
- In-network max out-of-pocket limit of $6,700
- Overall CMS rating of 4.5 (out of 5)
The Aetna Medicare Elite Plan is highly rated by the CMS and offers all six common benefits including vision, dental, hearing, fitness, worldwide emergency and telehealth. It also offers Part D drug coverage. The inclusion of worldwide emergency benefits makes it a good choice if you are a frequent traveler.
The Aetna Medicare Essential Elite Plan, also offered by Aetna Medicare, is also one of the best options for those looking for a PPO plan in Connecticut. The Aetna Medicare Essential Elite Plan features:
- No premium
- Offers drug coverage with no deductible
- In-network max out-of-pocket limit of $6,700
- Overall CMS rating of 4.5 (out of 5)
The Aetna Medicare Essential Elite Plan also has all six common additional benefits, a high rating from the CMS and Part D drug coverage.
Best HMO Medicare Advantage Plan in Connecticut
The best HMO Medicare Advantage Plan in Connecticut depends on your individual needs. If you are looking for an HMO plan with drug coverage, six core benefits and a high star rating from the CMS, CarePartners of CT CareAdvantage Preferred (HMO) by CarePartners of Connecticut is the best plan.
HMO plans tend to be more affordable than other plan types and only require low monthly payments. However, an HMO plan restricts you to a specified provider network, so they are a good option if in-network providers are easily available to you. You also require a referral to see a specialist if you are on an HMO plan.
CarePartners of Connecticut
The CarePartners of CT CareAdvantage Preferred plan by CarePartners of Connecticut is our favorite HMO plan in Connecticut, but the best for you may vary depending on your specific requirements. The key features of this plan include:
- No premium
- Offers drug coverage with no deductible
- In-network max out-of-pocket limit of $4,900
- Overall CMS rating of 4.5 (out of 5)
The CarePartners of CT CareAdvantage Preferred plan offers all six common additional benefits: vision, dental, hearing, fitness, worldwide emergency and telehealth. It also offers Part D drug coverage. This plan is highly rated by the CMS.
Best Medicare Advantage Plan in Connecticut Without Drug Coverage
If you are looking for the best Medicare Advantage Plans in Connecticut but do not necessarily require Part D prescription drug coverage, there are more plans available to you.
If you want a Medicare Advantage Plan with or without drug coverage, including the six core benefits and a high star rating from the CMS, CarePartners of CT CareAdvantage Preferred (HMO) is again the best option. This plan is the best HMO plan overall in Connecticut whether or not you require prescription drug coverage.
CarePartners of Connecticut
MoneyGeek found that the CarePartners of CT CareAdvantage Preferred plan is the best option in Connecticut, whether you need drug coverage or not. This plan does have drug coverage and has the following main features:
- No premium
- Offers drug coverage with no deductible
- In-network max out-of-pocket limit of $4,900
- Overall CMS rating of 4.5 (out of 5)
The CarePartners of CT CareAdvantage Preferred plan is highly rated by the CMS and offers all six common additional benefits, including vision, dental, hearing, fitness, worldwide emergency and telehealth. It also offers Part D drug coverage.
Best Medicare Advantage Plan in Connecticut for Low Max Out-of-Pocket Costs
Most Medicare Advantage Plans in Connecticut have low or no premiums, but you still may have to pay thousands of dollars out of pocket.
If you are looking for a Connecticut Medicare Advantage Plan with a low in-network max out-of-pocket (MOOP), drug coverage, six core benefits and a high star rating from the CMS, MoneyGeek found that Wellcare No Premium Open offered by Wellcare is the best plan.
WellCare
MoneyGeek filtered out plans that had high MOOPs and determined that the Wellcare No Premium Open plan is the best option in Connecticut if you want a plan with or without drug coverage that has a low in-network max out-of-pocket limit. This plan offers drug coverage and has the following key features:
- No premium
- Max out-of-pocket payment limit of $5,500
- Overall CMS rating of 3 (out of 5)
Choosing a plan with a low MOOP will protect you from excessive costs if you have a very expensive year for health payments. With the Wellcare No Premium Open plan, after you reach the $5,500 MOOP limit, you will not pay any more for in-network coverage. For a PPO plan, you will have a different MOOP for out-of-network coverage, which is $8,000 for the Wellcare No Premium Open plan.
Medicare Advantage Plan in Connecticut - Statistics
There are eight healthcare organizations offering Medicare Advantage Plans in Connecticut. The following statistics on Medicare Advantage in Connecticut can help you figure out what plan components are rare versus the ones that are common.
1
Connecticut Medicare Advantage Plans are a mix of HMO and PPO with 89.9% offering drug coverage.
In Connecticut, the Medicare Advantage Plans available are either Health Maintenance Organization (HMO) or Preferred Provider Organization (PPO) plans, with HMO plans being the majority at 63.3%. Most Medicare Advantage Plans in Connecticut offer drug coverage, with 89.9% of the plans offered having this coverage.
2
59% of Medicare Advantage Plans in Connecticut have a $0 premium.
Nearly 60% of Connecticut Medicare Advantage Plans have no premium. For plans that do charge premiums, the average rate in Connecticut is $78.20.
3
Vision, dental and hearing benefits are common in Connecticut, with most plans offering them.
Vision, dental, hearing, worldwide emergency and telehealth are the most common benefits in Connecticut, with 100% of plans offering them. However, in-home support, home safety devices and modification and emergency response device benefits are quite rare in Connecticut, with 13% or fewer plans having these benefits.
Methodology
MoneyGeek collected data from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services 2022 MA Landscape Source Files released in October 2021. Plans in Connecticut were filtered down to those that offer drug coverage (unless otherwise noted), offer six of the most common Medicare Advantage coverage benefits and are available to at least 50% of the population of Connecticut based on county availability.
About Mark Fitzpatrick
