Best Medicare Advantage Plans in New York (2027)

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Updated: November 5, 2026

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Best Medicare Advantage Companies in New York

Independent Health is the best Medicare Advantage insurer in New York. Only Anthem has a higher quality rating, and most other 4-star carriers cost more than Independent Health.

Medicare scores plans from 1 to 5 stars for care and service, and Independent Health has a median rating of 4.5 stars. Its median worst-case yearly cost, a year of premiums plus the plan’s out-of-pocket limit, is $1,250 below Anthem’s.

Location affects cost more than brand. The four carriers with the lowest median costs, including Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield, each sell in 18 or fewer counties. Aetna, the only carrier in all 62, ties for the highest cost. Check which regional carriers sell in your county first.

Independent Health
4.4
$8,000
4.5
8
5
Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield or Highmark Blue Shield
4.3
$7,241
4
18
7
MetroPlus Health Plan
4.2
$9,850
4
5
1
CDPHP Medicare Advantage
4.2
$6,999
3.5
9
4
Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield HP
4.2
$9,250
5
10
9
Excellus Health Plan, Inc
4.1
$8,371
4
39
19
MVP HEALTH CARE
4.1
$8,907
3.5
55
8
Aetna Medicare
4
$9,850
4
62
33
VNS Health Medicare
4
$9,850
4
20
1
Trinity Health Plan New York
3.9
$7,900
3
8
3

New York Medicare Advantage Market Overview

New York’s Medicare Advantage market has a median of 23 plans per county, but quality varies widely. Medicare Advantage plans are private, Medicare-approved alternatives to Original Medicare, the government’s Part A hospital and Part B medical coverage. Most Medicare Advantage plans include drug coverage. A Medicare Supplement plan pairs with Original Medicare and helps pay its copays and deductibles.

New York’s market averages 3.68 of 5 Medicare quality stars, and only about a third of contracts reach 4 stars. A contract is the agreement under which Medicare rates a carrier’s plans. Sixteen of 17 carriers had enough data to receive a score. EmblemHealth, Humana, VillageCareMAX, UnitedHealthcare, Wellcare and Healthfirst Medicare Plan each received one but aren’t featured above because of their lower overall scores. Devoted Health is too new to rate.

Medicare Advantage plans (excluding Special Needs Plans)

137

New York has 137 Medicare Advantage plans, not counting Special Needs Plans, which are limited to certain groups. Your county decides which plans you can join, so check what’s sold at your address

Carriers
17

Each New York carrier sets its own doctor network and drug list, so compare every carrier sold in your county before you choose a plan.

CMS contracts
29

New York’s 29 CMS contracts span 17 carriers. Medicare sets star ratings at the contract level, so check which contract your plan falls under.

Median plans per county
23

New York’s median county has 23 MA plans. Confirm which are available at your address, then compare out-of-pocket limits, premiums and contract ratings.

Plans with $0 premium
60%
Six in ten New York MA plans carry no monthly premium. The remaining 40% charge one, so verify the premium before finalizing your selection.
Median MOOP
$9,850
New York’s median MA plan carries an annual in-network cost ceiling of $9,850, the maximum CMS allows.
MOOP range
$4,950–$9,850

New York’s annual cost ceilings range from $4,950 to $9,850. The plan you enroll in determines your ceiling within that $4,900 range.

Average star rating
3.68
New York’s market average of 3.68 stars is 0.32 below CMS’s 4-star quality threshold. Each contract carries its own rating, so look up your plan’s contract rating before you sign up.
Contracts rated 4+ stars
34%

Ten of New York’s 29 contracts earn 4 stars or higher. Eighteen rate 3.5 stars or lower, and Devoted Health’s new contract has no rating yet, so check your plan’s contract rating before you enroll.

Independent Health

Independent Health

MoneyGeek Rating
4.4/ 5
4.4/5Affordability
4.5/5Quality & Member Experience
4.1/5Benefits & Access

  • Median Max Annual Cost Exposure

    $8,000

  • Median CMS Star Rating

    4.5

  • Counties Served

    8

  • Plans Available

    5
Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield

Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield

MoneyGeek Rating
4.3/ 5
4.7/5Affordability
4.1/5Quality & Member Experience
4/5Benefits & Access

  • Median Max Annual Cost Exposure

    $7,241

  • Median CMS Star Rating

    4

  • Counties Served

    18

  • Plans Available

    7
MetroPlus Health Plan

MetroPlus Health Plan

MoneyGeek Rating
4.2/ 5
4.1/5Affordability
4.2/5Quality & Member Experience
4.2/5Benefits & Access

  • Median Max Annual Cost Exposure

    $9,850

  • Median CMS Star Rating

    4

  • Counties Served

    5

  • Plans Available

    1
CDPHP

CDPHP

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

  • Median Max Annual Cost Exposure

    $6,999

  • Median CMS Star Rating

    3.5

  • Counties Served

    9

  • Plans Available

    4
Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield

Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield

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

  • Median Max Annual Cost Exposure

    $9,250

  • Median CMS Star Rating

    5

  • Counties Served

    10

  • Plans Available

    9
Excellus Health Plan

Excellus Health Plan

MoneyGeek Rating
4.1/ 5
4.2/5Affordability
4.1/5Quality & Member Experience
4/5Benefits & Access

  • Median Max Annual Cost Exposure

    $8,371

  • Median CMS Star Rating

    4

  • Counties Served

    39

  • Plans Available

    19
MVP Health Care

MVP Health Care

MoneyGeek Rating
4.1/ 5
4.2/5Affordability
3.9/5Quality & Member Experience
4.3/5Benefits & Access

  • Median Max Annual Cost Exposure

    $8,907

  • Median CMS Star Rating

    3.5

  • Counties Served

    55

  • Plans Available

    8
Aetna Medicare

Aetna Medicare

MoneyGeek Rating
4/ 5
3.7/5Affordability
4.1/5Quality & Member Experience
4.2/5Benefits & Access

  • Median Max Annual Cost Exposure

    $9,850

  • Median CMS Star Rating

    4

  • Counties Served

    62

  • Plans Available

    33
VNS Health

VNS Health

MoneyGeek Rating
4/ 5
3.7/5Affordability
4.2/5Quality & Member Experience
4.2/5Benefits & Access

  • Median Max Annual Cost Exposure

    $9,850

  • Median CMS Star Rating

    4

  • Counties Served

    20

  • Plans Available

    1
Trinity Health Plan New York

Trinity Health Plan New York

MoneyGeek Rating
3.9/ 5
4.3/5Affordability
3.4/5Quality & Member Experience
3.9/5Benefits & Access

  • Median Max Annual Cost Exposure

    $7,900

  • Median CMS Star Rating

    3

  • Counties Served

    8

  • Plans Available

    3

How to Choose the Best New York Medicare Advantage Plan

Choose a New York Medicare Advantage plan by confirming your doctors and drugs are covered first, then comparing out-of-pocket limits, plan types, star ratings and extra benefits. The monthly premium won’t separate most plans, since 60% of New York plans charge no premium.

  1. 1
    Confirm Your Doctors and Hospitals Are In-Network

    Contact your doctors and hospitals directly to confirm they accept the plan you’re considering. Plans from the same carrier can use different networks, so a provider in one plan’s network may be out of network under another plan from the same insurer.

  2. 2
    Compare Total Costs Beyond Premiums

    A $0-premium plan still carries cost-sharing through copays, deductibles and out-of-pocket limits. In New York, where the median out-of-pocket limit is $9,850, worst-case yearly costs can differ by thousands of dollars between plans with identical premiums.

  3. 3
    Check Prescription Drug Coverage

    Review your medications against each plan’s drug list, called a formulary, and note which tier each drug falls under. Higher tiers mean higher copays at the pharmacy. Some drugs also require prior authorization before the plan covers them.

  4. 4
    Match the Plan Type to How You Use Care

    HMO plans cover care from in-network providers, except for emergencies and out-of-area urgent care, and in most cases require a referral to see a specialist. HMO-POS plans cover some out-of-network services at a higher cost.

    PPOs offer the most provider flexibility and have the same $9,850 median out-of-pocket limit as HMOs. HMO-POS plans have a $7,500 median limit, $2,350 lower than HMOs and PPOs.

  5. 5
    Review Star Ratings and Quality Metrics

    CMS star ratings measure plan quality, customer service and preventive care on a 1-to-5 scale. In New York, only 34% of contracts reach 4 stars or higher. Check your plan’s own contract rating before enrolling, since the 3.68 market average hides wide differences between contracts.

  6. 6
    Compare Extra Benefits

    Dental, vision, hearing and over-the-counter allowances vary widely by plan and carrier. Annual allowances, copays and coverage limits decide what each benefit is worth. CDPHP $0 Medicare Rx (HMO), for example, caps dental coverage at $400 a year, while VNS Health EasyCare (HMO) allows up to $2,500.

  7. 7
    Check Out-of-Pocket Maximums

    The out-of-pocket maximum caps what you’ll pay for covered in-network care in a year, not counting premiums. In New York, maximums range from $4,950 to $9,850 across all plans. A lower cap matters most if you expect frequent or costly care during the year.

How Much Does Medicare Advantage Cost in New York?

Most New York Medicare Advantage plans charge no premium, so plan type decides how much you pay in a year of heavy care. HMOs cover care from in-network doctors, except in emergencies and out-of-area urgent care. PPOs also pay for out-of-network care at a higher price, and HMO-POS plans fall between the two.

The median HMO-POS out-of-pocket limit is $2,350 lower than the median HMO or PPO limit. Median doctor visit copays match across all three types, and PPOs have the highest median inpatient copay. If you expect surgery or frequent care, compare HMO-POS plans first.

Median Monthly Premium
$0
$0
$0
Median Max Out-of-Pocket
$9,850
$7,500
$9,850
Median Inpatient Copay
$410
$400
$490
Median PCP Copay
$15
$15
$15
Median Specialist Copay
$35
$35
$35

*Median cost figures across all 137 New York Medicare Advantage plans, excluding Special Needs Plans, grouped by plan type. All dollar figures are rounded to the nearest dollar. Source: CMS 2027 data, MoneyGeek analysis.

New York Medicare Advantage Resources

New York residents can compare Medicare Advantage plans, get free counseling and access financial assistance through these state and federal resources.

Compare Medicare Advantage Rates

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

Frequently Asked Questions

Our Methodology

New York’s 2027 Medicare Advantage ratings, published by MoneyGeek, cover 137 non-SNP plans across 17 carriers, 29 CMS contracts and 62 counties. Five CMS datasets ground the ratings: the Medicare Plan Landscape File, Plan Benefit Package files, CMS Star Ratings, the CAHPS Report Card Master Table and the Contract/Plan Enrollment file.   

All ratings exclude Special Needs Plans. Carriers must sell plans in at least 5% of New York’s 62 counties, or four counties, to receive a score. All 17 carriers meet that threshold.

Devoted Health holds a new New York contract with no CMS Star Rating or CAHPS data on file. It isn’t featured in the provider reviews above.

EmblemHealth, Humana, VillageCareMAX, UnitedHealthcare, Wellcare and Healthfirst Medicare Plan each cleared the county threshold and received a full MoneyGeek score. Their scores ranked below the carriers featured in the provider reviews above.   

How We Score Carriers

Sixteen carriers earn a MoneyGeek score out of five. Each score is the median across that carrier’s New York non-SNP MA plans, with CMS Star Ratings and CAHPS as plan-weighted medians. Three categories form each score:   

  • Affordability (40%): Maximum annual cost exposure, a full year of premiums plus the plan’s out-of-pocket limit, makes up 20% of the overall score. Inpatient hospital copays add 10%, specialist copays 6% and primary care copays 4%.
  • Quality and Member Experience (40%): CMS Star Ratings take 60% of this category and CAHPS Rating of Health Plan scores take 40%, both from contract-level data.
  • Benefits and Access (20%): Dental, OTC, vision and hearing benefits make up 50% of this category. County coverage makes up 30% and plan choice per county 20%.

About Mark Fitzpatrick

Mark Fitzpatrick, Licensed P&C Insurance Expert, MoneyGeek

Mark Fitzpatrick is a licensed Property and Casualty (P&C) Insurance Producer 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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