Best Medicare Advantage Plans in Hawaii (2026)

Medicare Advantage (Part C) is a private plan alternative to Original Medicare, approved by CMS. Most Hawaii plans include prescription drug coverage and add dental and vision benefits that Original Medicare doesn't cover. If you stay with Original Medicare, a Medigap plan cover deductibles and coinsurance but can't be combined with a Medicare Advantage plan.

Humana's $0 HMO is the cost leader with no monthly premium and a $5,900 out-of-pocket maximum. UnitedHealthcare holds the highest CMS star rating in the state at 4.0 and is the only provider offering a PPO structure across six plan options.   

We found Humana and UnitedHealthcare to be the highest-scoring options in Hawaii for 2026 on combined cost, quality and plan type availability. Humana wins on cost with the only $0 HMO in the state. No other Hawaii provider earned a higher CMS star rating in 2026 than UnitedHealthcare's 4.0.     

In my analysis, Humana is the stronger starting point for most Hawaii seniors. The $0 premium and $5,900 out-of-pocket cap outperform UHC's cost structure in every use scenario except one, seniors on neighbor islands with limited in-network specialists who need the PPO's out-of-network access.

The right choice depends on where in Hawaii you live, which providers you use and how often you need specialist care. On Oahu, most major hospitals and specialty clinics fall within a single HMO network. Maui, Kauai and the Big Island have thinner in-network specialist pools under the same HMO structure.   

An HMO covers care only within its network except in emergencies. That caps your annual cost but locks you into the plan's provider list. A PPO removes that restriction. You can see out-of-network providers at a higher cost share when the local network is thin.

Filter by plan type to see every HMO and PPO option available in Hawaii for 2026, with premiums, out-of-pocket maximums and CMS star ratings for each plan. Compare multiple options to find the one that fits your providers, prescriptions and budget.

Our rankings cover Hawaii's two highest-scoring Medicare Advantage providers for 2026 on combined cost and CMS quality. We evaluated Humana and UnitedHealthcare because no other provider in the state matches both on cost structure and CMS quality ratings across HMO and PPO options. Each review covers why we ranked the provider, which enrollee profile it fits best and where another plan is a better choice on cost or network access.

Network access is the first filter. If your doctors aren't in the plan's network, the premium doesn't matter. After that, multiply the monthly premium by 12 and add the out-of-pocket maximum. That total tells you which plan costs less based on how often you use your coverage.

Hawaii's Medicare Advantage cost structure is counterintuitive at the plan type level. PPO plans, which offer broader network access and no referral requirements, carry a lower average monthly premium than HMO plans. The median PPO premium is $20 versus $160 for HMOs. Premium alone isn't how you should compare these plans.

HMO plans average a $6,320 annual cap, $314 less than the $6,634 PPO average. In a year with frequent care, a senior pays less under the HMO model despite its higher monthly premium. Add the annual premium to the out-of-pocket maximum before deciding which plan type costs you less.

One cost every Medicare Advantage enrollee pays regardless of plan premium is the Medicare Part B premium. Per CMS, the 2026 Part B premium is $203 per month for most enrollees. A $0 plan premium means no additional monthly charge beyond Part B, not zero monthly health care costs.

You qualify for Medicare in Hawaii at 65 if you're a U.S. citizen or have been a legal resident for at least five years. You can also qualify before 65 if you've received Social Security Disability Insurance for 24 months or have been diagnosed with end-stage renal disease or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).

Your first enrollment window opens three months before your 65th birthday and closes three months after the month you turn 65. This is the Initial Enrollment Period. Missing it without qualifying coverage elsewhere means waiting for one of the annual enrollment windows.

Annual Enrollment opens October 15 and closes December 7 each year. The Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period spans January 1 through March 31. During this window, you can switch to a different plan once. Life changes, such as losing employer coverage or relocating to a new county in Hawaii, trigger a Special Enrollment Period outside these windows.

One 2026 change worth knowing is that the Medicare Part D out-of-pocket cap is $2,100 this year, per CMS. Most Hawaii Medicare Advantage plans include Part D coverage, so this cap applies to your prescription drug costs within those plans. Seniors taking multiple medications benefit most from this limit.

The resources below are official government and state sources. Use them to compare plans, verify enrollment dates or reach a free Medicare counselor.

• Medicare Plan Finder. Compare 2026 Medicare Advantage plans available in your Hawaii ZIP code.
• CMS Medicare Open Enrollment. Official enrollment dates, plan change guidance and 2026 cost information from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. CMS updates plan data annually.
• Hawaii Executive Office on Aging, SHIP. Free, unbiased Medicare counseling for Hawaii residents. Oahu: 808-586-7299. Neighbor islands: 1-888-875-9229.
• Hawaii Department of Health. Information on Medicare-certified facilities and critical access hospitals serving rural and neighbor island residents.

Get answers about Hawaii Medicare Advantage coverage:

MoneyGeek evaluates Medicare Advantage plans in Hawaii using three main criteria:

• Affordability (50%): Costs account for half the total score because they influence your spending. We analyzed combined monthly premiums for Part C and Part D coverage (weighted at 30%) and in-network maximum out-of-pocket limits (weighted at 20%). Plans with lower premiums and MOOP thresholds score higher.
• Star Ratings (40%): CMS star ratings evaluate plan performance in care quality, customer service and member experience. The Overall Star Rating merges Part C (medical benefits) and Part D (prescription drug coverage) scores into one rating on a 1 to 5-star scale.
• Availability (10%): We consider each insurer's coverage area across the United States. Providers serving more states score higher because broader national reach can support continuity of coverage if you relocate. For Hawaii residents who plan to stay in-state, this factor carries less weight in your personal decision than cost and star ratings.

Our 2026 Hawaii rankings focus on Humana and UnitedHealthcare because they're the only providers in our scoring model offering both HMO and PPO plan types with full plan-level data available. Kaiser Permanente, HMSA and AlohaCare also serve Hawaii residents. Check Medicare Plan Finder at medicare.gov to compare all plans available in your ZIP code.