Best Medicare Advantage Plans in Connecticut (2026)

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Updated: September 9, 2026

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Best Medicare Advantage Providers in Connecticut

Aetna Medicare is the best Medicare Advantage carrier in Connecticut for 2026, with the state's only plans holding a 4.5-star CMS rating. Its CAHPS member satisfaction score of 89 out of 100, a measure of how members rate their plan experience, is the highest in Connecticut. Five of its six plans charge no monthly premium. All six cover all eight counties.   

Humana provides the lowest median annual out-of-pocket maximum in the state at $5,550, though it covers only five counties. Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield is the only carrier where every plan includes hearing coverage. UnitedHealthcare and ConnectiCare each cover all eight counties, so neither restricts access by geography.

Aetna Medicare
4.4
$6,750
4.5
8
6
CarePartners of Connecticut
4.2
$7,625
3.75
7
2
ConnectiCare
4.2
$6,750
3.5
8
6
Humana
4.2
$5,550
3.5
5
4
UnitedHealthcare
4.2
$6,550
3.5
8
4
Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield
4.1
$7,589
3.5
6
2
HealthSpring
4
$6,800
3
6
1

Connecticut Medicare Advantage Market Overview

Connecticut's Medicare Advantage market in 2026 has 29 plans open to any Medicare beneficiary from eight carriers. The typical county has 28 plans to compare. Medicare Advantage replaces Original Medicare by covering Parts A and B through a private insurer. Most Connecticut plans include prescription drugs and vision benefits. Dental is on about four in 10 plans and hearing coverage on fewer than one in 10.   

More than four in five Connecticut plans charge no monthly premium, but the median annual out-of-pocket maximum is $6,750. Fewer than one in five Connecticut contracts hold a four-star CMS rating, so quality ratings matter regardless of what a plan costs monthly.

Non-SNP Medicare Advantage plans
29
Connecticut's non-SNP MA market has 29 plans open to eligible residents.
Carriers
8
Connecticut's MA market is split among eight insurance carriers.
CMS contracts
11
Eleven CMS contracts govern how plans are structured across the state.
Median plans per county
28

The Connecticut county has 28 Medicare Advantage plans to choose from.

Medicare Advantage enrollment in non-SNP plans
249,360
Across Connecticut, more than 249,000 residents are enrolled in the plans we analyzed.
Plans with a $0 premium
83%
Connecticut plans rarely add to your Part B premium, with 83% carrying no monthly cost.
Median max out-of-pocket (MOOP)
$6,750
A Connecticut plan caps annual in-network costs at $6,750, though limits range from $4,150 to $9,250.
MOOP range
$4,150–$9,250
Which plan you pick determines whether your annual cap lands at $4,150 or $9,250.
Average CMS star rating
3.64 out of 5
CMS rates Connecticut MA plans at an average of 3.64 out of five stars.
Contracts rated 4+ stars
18%
About eight in 10 Connecticut contracts fall short of the four-star CMS threshold.
Aetna Medicare

Aetna Medicare

MoneyGeek Rating
4.4/ 5
4.3/5Affordability
4.5/5Quality & Member Experience
4.3/5Benefits & Access

  • Median Max Annual Cost Exposure

    $6,750

  • Median CMS Star Rating

    4.5

  • Counties Served

    8

  • Plans Available

    6
CarePartners of Connecticut

CarePartners of Connecticut

MoneyGeek Rating
4.2/ 5
4.3/5Affordability
4/5Quality & Member Experience
4.2/5Benefits & Access

  • Median Max Annual Cost Exposure

    $7,625

  • Median CMS Star Rating

    3.75

  • Counties Served

    7

  • Plans Available

    2
ConnectiCare

ConnectiCare

MoneyGeek Rating
4.2/ 5
4.4/5Affordability
3.8/5Quality & Member Experience
4.5/5Benefits & Access

  • Median Max Annual Cost Exposure

    $6,750

  • Median CMS Star Rating

    3.5

  • Counties Served

    8

  • Plans Available

    6
Humana

Humana

MoneyGeek Rating
4.2/ 5
4.7/5Affordability
3.8/5Quality & Member Experience
3.9/5Benefits & Access

  • Median Max Annual Cost Exposure

    $5,550

  • Median CMS Star Rating

    3.5

  • Counties Served

    5

  • Plans Available

    4
UnitedHealthcare

UnitedHealthcare

MoneyGeek Rating
4.2/ 5
4.5/5Affordability
3.8/5Quality & Member Experience
4.3/5Benefits & Access

  • Median Max Annual Cost Exposure

    $6,550

  • Median CMS Star Rating

    3.5

  • Counties Served

    8

  • Plans Available

    4
Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield

Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield

MoneyGeek Rating
4.1/ 5
4.3/5Affordability
3.9/5Quality & Member Experience
4.3/5Benefits & Access

  • Median Max Annual Cost Exposure

    $7,589

  • Median CMS Star Rating

    3.5

  • Counties Served

    6

  • Plans Available

    2
HealthSpring

HealthSpring

MoneyGeek Rating
4/ 5
4.6/5Affordability
3.5/5Quality & Member Experience
4/5Benefits & Access

  • Median Max Annual Cost Exposure

    $6,800

  • Median CMS Star Rating

    3

  • Counties Served

    6

  • Plans Available

    1

How to Find the Best Connecticut Medicare Advantage Plans

A Connecticut Medicare Advantage plan's monthly premium is not the most important cost to compare. Plans vary by county, and coverage options, quality ratings and annual out-of-pocket costs differ more than the uniform $0-premium rates suggest.

  1. 1
    Check Your Doctor and Hospital Network

    Most Connecticut providers accept multiple insurance plans, but not all accept every carrier. HMO-POS plans, offered by five of eight Connecticut carriers, cover specialist visits only after a referral and only within the network. Mid-year plan changes to regain access to a doctor are not possible outside open enrollment or a Special Enrollment Period.

  2. 2
    Compare Maximum Out-of-Pocket Costs

    The out-of-pocket maximum is the most you pay in a year before the plan covers all remaining in-network costs. Connecticut annual out-of-pocket maximums range from $4,150 to $9,250 depending on plan and carrier.   

    A plan with a $0 premium and a $9,250 annual maximum can cost far more in a high-use year than Humana's USAA Honor Giveback, which caps at $4,950 with no monthly charge. The monthly premium is the least reliable number for comparing total annual cost.

  3. 3
    Review Prescription Drug Coverage

    Most Connecticut Medicare Advantage plans include Part D drug coverage. Check your medications against each plan's formulary, the list of covered drugs, before enrolling. Plans rank drugs by tier. Drugs on higher tiers cost more at the pharmacy each time you fill a prescription. Formularies can change each year.

  4. 4
    Check Supplemental Benefits

    Hearing benefits are available from only two carriers in Connecticut for 2026. Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield offers hearing coverage on both its plans, and ConnectiCare provides a $3,000 hearing allowance on its Choice Plan 2. Dental is excluded from UnitedHealthcare plans entirely. Choose based on the benefits you will use regularly.

  5. 5
    Consider CMS Star Ratings

    CMS rates Medicare Advantage plans from 1 to 5 on care quality, customer service and member outcomes. In Connecticut, only Aetna Medicare's PPO plans carry a 4.5-star rating in 2026. CarePartners of Connecticut's Access PPO holds 4.0 stars. All other Connecticut plans rate 3.5 or lower. A rating below 4 stars means the plan has not met CMS's above-average quality threshold.

How Much Does Medicare Advantage Cost in Connecticut?

All three plan types have a median monthly premium of $0 or $1, so the out-of-pocket maximum is the number that matters most. HMO plans carry the highest median cap in Connecticut at $8,000, $1,250 more than HMO-POS and PPO plans, which both cap at $6,750. Specialist copays rise with network flexibility, from $30 per visit on HMOs to $40 on PPOs.

Median Monthly Premium
$1
$0
$0
Median Max Out-of-Pocket
$8,000
$6,750
$6,750
Median Inpatient Copay
$410
$438
$452
Median PCP Copay
$15
$15
$15
Median Specialist Copay
$30
$35
$40

*Median cost figures across all 29 non-SNP Connecticut MA plans, grouped by plan type. All dollar figures rounded to the nearest dollar. Source: CMS 2026 data, MoneyGeek analysis

Connecticut Medicare Advantage Resources

Use these Connecticut and federal resources to compare Medicare Advantage plans, check coverage details and get enrollment help.

  • CT CHOICES: Connecticut's free Medicare counseling program. Trained advisors help you compare plans, check costs and understand enrollment windows at no charge.
  • Connecticut Insurance Department: Regulates insurance carriers in Connecticut, handles consumer complaints and provides tools to verify insurer credentials and coverage protections.
  • Medicare Plan Finder: The official CMS tool for comparing Medicare Advantage plans in your Connecticut county by premium, estimated costs, benefits and star rating.
  • Social Security Administration: Handles Medicare enrollment. Apply online or find a local office if you are enrolling in Medicare for the first time or updating your coverage.
  • CT Aging and Disability Services: Connects Connecticut seniors with local Medicare benefits counseling through the state's network of area agencies.
Compare Connecticut Medicare Advantage Rates

Get the best rate. Compare quotes from the top insurance companies.

Frequently Asked Questions

Our Methodology

MoneyGeek ranked Connecticut Medicare Advantage carriers using five CMS data sources for the 2026 plan year. The analysis covered the Medicare Plan Landscape File, Plan Benefit Package files, CMS Star Ratings, the CAHPS Report Card Master Table and the Contract/Plan Enrollment file.

How We Score Carriers

MoneyGeek assigns each Connecticut carrier a score out of five. Three weighted categories determine the final result.   

  • Affordability (40%): Maximum annual cost covers annual premiums plus the out-of-pocket limit and inpatient hospital, specialist and primary care costs.
  • Quality and Member Experience (40%): CMS Star Ratings carry 60% of this category's weight. CAHPS C26 member ratings carry the other 40%. MoneyGeek measures both at the contract level.
  • Benefits and Access (20%): Supplemental benefits, including dental, OTC, vision and hearing, carry 50% of this category's weight. County coverage carries 30%. Plan choice per county carries the final 20%.

About Mark Fitzpatrick

Mark Fitzpatrick, Licensed P&C Insurance Expert, MoneyGeek

Mark Fitzpatrick is a licensed Property and Casualty (P&C) Insurance Producer in Connecticut and MoneyGeek's resident expert in insurance and economics. In nearly a decade covering the insurance market at LendingTree and MoneyGeek, he's analyzed hundreds of carriers and millions of rates across auto, home, renters, health and life insurance.

His work has appeared in The Washington Post, The New York Times and NPR. He draws on independent cost and consumer experience data, and no insurance company partnerships affect his recommendations.

Mark studied at Boston College and later earned a master's in economics and international relations from Johns Hopkins University. He worked in financial risk management at State Street before joining MoneyGeek. He's also a five-time “Jeopardy!” champion.

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