Best Medicare Advantage Plans in Delaware (2026)

Aetna Medicare provides the best Medicare Advantage plans in Delaware for 2026 because it is the only carrier to include hearing benefits on all four plans. Original Medicare excludes hearing aids, and only eight of 24 Delaware plans include them.   

Aetna Medicare, Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield and UnitedHealthcare all hold 4-star CMS quality ratings, the threshold Medicare uses to designate strong-performing plans. UnitedHealthcare has the lowest median annual cost exposure in Delaware at $6,700 among ranked carriers, the most a plan can charge you for covered care in a year. HealthSpring covers only New Castle and Sussex counties, so Kent County residents cannot access HealthSpring plans.

Eighty-three percent of Delaware Medicare Advantage plans charge no monthly premium, but two plans with identical $0 premiums can differ by $3,350 per year in annual cost exposure, the most a plan charges you for covered care in a year.

Medicare Advantage is private insurance that replaces Original Medicare, the federal program covering hospital and medical care. All 24 Delaware plans include vision coverage, and 79.2% include dental. Original Medicare doesn't pay for either of these benefits. Medicare Supplement plans pay Original Medicare's cost gaps but leave Original Medicare in place.

Sixty percent of Delaware's rated contracts reach Medicare's 4-star quality threshold, so check your specific plan's CMS rating before enrolling.

The best Delaware Medicare Advantage plan depends on your health care needs, budget, provider preferences and how much flexibility you want with out-of-network care.

All three plan types in Delaware have a $0 median monthly premium, so annual cost exposure, the most a plan charges for covered care in a year, is the figure that separates them.

HMO-POS plans have the lowest median annual cost exposure at $6,350, $400 less per year than the $6,750 median for HMO and PPO plans. For enrollees who use little or no inpatient care, an HMO-POS plan could save $400 per year over HMO and PPO plans in a high usage year.

HMO-POS plans charge $127 more per inpatient day than HMO plans, $422 versus $295. Three hospital days on an HMO-POS plan cost $381 more than on an HMO, nearly erasing the $400-per-year cost exposure advantage. Anyone expecting frequent hospital stays should compare HMO plans first.

*Median cost figures across all 24 non-SNP Delaware MA plans, grouped by plan type. All dollar figures rounded to nearest dollar. Source: CMS 2026 data, MoneyGeek analysis.

Delaware residents can get free counseling, compare plans and access financial assistance for Medicare costs through these state and federal resources.

• Delaware Medicare Assistance Bureau (DMAB): Delaware's free, unbiased counseling program connects Medicare beneficiaries with trained counselors who help compare Medicare Advantage plans, review enrollment periods and answer coverage questions at no cost.
• Medicare.gov Plan Finder: The federal tool for comparing Medicare Advantage plans by ZIP code, including premiums, deductibles, star ratings, prescription drug coverage and supplemental benefits.
• Delaware Department of Insurance: The state agency that licenses and regulates carriers operating in Delaware. Use it to verify a plan's standing or file a complaint about coverage.
• Delaware Medicare Savings Programs: Helps qualifying residents pay Medicare Part B premiums and reduce certain other out-of-pocket costs.
• Social Security Administration: Handles Medicare enrollment for most Delaware residents. You can apply for Medicare, check enrollment status or set up premium payments through SSA.gov.

MoneyGeek measured Delaware Medicare Advantage carriers for the 2026 plan year. The five CMS data sources behind the scores include 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 derives each Delaware carrier's score out of five from three weighted categories.   

• Affordability (40%): Annual premiums, the out-of-pocket maximum and inpatient hospital, specialist and primary care costs add up to maximum annual cost exposure.
• Quality and Member Experience (40%): This category allocates 60% to CMS Star Ratings and 40% to CAHPS C26 member ratings. MoneyGeek evaluates both at the contract level.
• Benefits and Access (20%): Supplemental benefits, including dental, OTC, vision and hearing, draw 50% of this category. The remaining 50% breaks down to county coverage at 30% and plan choice per county at 20%.