Best Medicare Advantage Plans in Montana (2026)

Humana is the best Medicare Advantage company in Montana for 2026, with 12 plans across 38 counties. Humana's median annual cost exposure of $6,625, the most you'd pay in a year, is $444 below Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Montana.

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Montana covers one more county but has only six plans and a higher median annual cost exposure than Humana. UnitedHealthcare has the lowest median annual cost exposure at $6,300 but is available in only eight counties. Check which carriers operate in your county before comparing plans.

Montana has 24 Medicare Advantage plans from four carriers for 2026. Medicare Advantage, also called Part C, replaces Original Medicare with bundled private coverage that often includes prescription drugs, dental and vision. Separate Medicare Supplement plans in Montana are available for those who prefer to keep Original Medicare.

Three in four plans carry $0 monthly premiums, but the median out-of-pocket limit, or MOOP, is $6,500. The $6,250 gap between Montana's lowest and highest MOOP means plan selection matters as much as carrier choice. Only 14% of Montana contracts have a four-star CMS quality rating, so checking individual plan ratings is worth the time.

Network access and prescription coverage determine which plans are worth comparing. Your total annual costs decide which plan fits.

Most Montana Medicare Advantage plans charge $0 monthly premiums, but the plan type determines your worst-case annual cost. PPO plans, which cover 20 of Montana's 24 options, have a median out-of-pocket maximum of $6,700.

HMO-POS plans, a hybrid that adds limited out-of-network access to standard HMO coverage, cap median out-of-pocket costs at $5,238, with a $14 monthly premium.

The median specialist copays are $35 per visit on PPO plans and $12 on HMO-POS plans. At eight specialist visits per year, the $23 per-visit HMO-POS copay saving covers the $168 annual premium. In a worst-case year, HMO-POS plans cost $1,294 less than PPO plans, the $1,462 MOOP gap minus the $168 annual premium.

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

Montana residents can compare plans, get free counseling and find financial assistance through these state and federal resources.

• Montana SHIP (State Health Insurance Assistance Program): Trained volunteers provide free Medicare counseling statewide and can compare plans with you before you enroll.
• Medicare Plan Finder: Compare Montana Medicare Advantage plans by ZIP code, including premiums, out-of-pocket limits, star ratings and drug coverage.
• Montana Commissioner of Securities and Insurance: Verifies carrier licensing in Montana and accepts consumer complaints about plans or carriers.
• Montana Medicare Savings Programs: Helps eligible residents pay Medicare Part B premiums and reduce other cost-sharing expenses. Check eligibility before enrolling in a plan.
• Social Security Administration: Handles Medicare enrollment for most Montana residents. Apply, check enrollment status or set up automatic premium payments here.

MoneyGeek reviewed Montana Medicare Advantage carriers through five CMS data sources for the 2026 plan year. These are 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

Three weighted categories go into each Montana carrier's MoneyGeek score out of five.   

• Affordability (40%): Maximum annual cost exposure takes in annual premiums, the out-of-pocket maximum and inpatient hospital, specialist and primary care costs.
• Quality and Member Experience (40%): CMS Star Ratings take 60% of this category and CAHPS C26 member ratings the other 40%, both pulled at the contract level.
• Benefits and Access (20%): Supplemental benefits, including dental, OTC, vision and hearing, bring 50% of this category. County coverage and plan choice per county hold the other 50%, at 30% and 20%.