Best Medicare Advantage Plans in Tennessee (2026)

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Updated: September 23, 2026

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Best Medicare Advantage Companies in Tennessee

BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee is the best Medicare Advantage insurer in Tennessee because it has the lowest median annual cost exposure among Tennessee carriers at $3,850 and the highest carrier-level member satisfaction score at 90 out of 100. Most carriers price quality and cost as a trade-off. BlueCross BlueShield is the exception to that trade-off.

Enrollees who want the strongest government quality ratings should consider HealthSpring, which holds 4.5 out of 5 stars on its HMO plans with a median annual cost exposure $1,150 higher than BlueCross BlueShield. Humana has 16 plans covering all 95 counties, the most of any statewide carrier in Tennessee. Plans vary by county, so confirm available options before enrolling.

BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee
4.5
$3,850
4
95
14
HealthSpring
4.4
$5,000
4.5
84
9
Humana
4.3
$4,675
3.75
95
16
Aetna Medicare
4.1
$6,750
4.5
67
8
UnitedHealthcare
4.1
$5,400
4
95
9
Wellcare
4.1
$4,800
3
95
5

Tennessee Medicare Advantage Market Overview

Tennessee has 86 Medicare Advantage plans (excluding Special Needs Plans) from nine carriers for 2026. Medicare Advantage replaces Original Medicare with private insurer coverage bundling hospital, medical and often drug benefits into one plan. Enrollees who prefer to keep Original Medicare can add a Medicare Supplement plan in Tennessee instead to cover deductibles and copays separately.

Most plans charge $0 monthly premium, but annual out-of-pocket limit ranges from $1,900 to $9,250. Choosing a plan at the lower end of that range lowers your worst-case annual costs up to $7,350.

Non-SNP Medicare Advantage plans
86
Tennessee has 86 non-SNP MA plans. Your provider network and drug needs determine which plans deserve a closer look.
Carriers
9
9 carriers serve Tennessee's full MA market. Your carrier choice sets which provider networks and plans are available.
CMS contracts
17
Tennessee's 9 carriers operate under 17 CMS contracts. Each contract has its own CMS star rating, independent of the carrier's broader record.
Median plans per county
36
The median Tennessee county has 36 of the state's 86 non-SNP MA plans available locally.
Medicare Advantage enrollment in non-SNP plans
590,008
590,008 Tennessee residents are enrolled in the plans this analysis covers.
Plans with a $0 premium
91%
91% of Tennessee plans charge nothing beyond Part B. Out-of-pocket limits and benefit design are where Tennessee plans differ.
Median max out-of-pocket (MOOP)
$5,050
Tennessee's $5,050 median MOOP is the annual in-network cost ceiling for half the state's plans. A $0-premium plan carries that same exposure.
MOOP range
$1,900–$9,250
Tennessee's lowest MOOP plan caps annual in-network costs at $1,900. The highest reaches $9,250. Your plan choice sets where your annual cost ceiling lands.
Average CMS star rating
3.83 out of 5
Tennessee's average CMS rating of 3.83 stars falls below the four-star quality benchmark. Individual contract ratings vary across the state's 17 contracts.
Contracts rated 4+ stars
53%
53% of Tennessee's 17 contracts earn four or more CMS stars. Individual contract ratings are the right quality filter across Tennessee's 86 plans.
BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee

BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee

MoneyGeek Rating
4.5/ 5
4.8/5Affordability
4.2/5Quality & Member Experience
4.4/5Benefits & Access

  • Median Max Annual Cost Exposure

    $3,850

  • Median CMS Star Rating

    4

  • Counties Served

    95

  • Plans Available

    14
HealthSpring

HealthSpring

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

  • Median Max Annual Cost Exposure

    $5,000

  • Median CMS Star Rating

    4.5

  • Counties Served

    84

  • Plans Available

    9
Humana

Humana

MoneyGeek Rating
4.3/ 5
4.6/5Affordability
4/5Quality & Member Experience
4.5/5Benefits & Access

  • Median Max Annual Cost Exposure

    $4,675

  • Median CMS Star Rating

    3.75

  • Counties Served

    95

  • Plans Available

    16
Aetna Medicare

Aetna Medicare

MoneyGeek Rating
4.1/ 5
3.7/5Affordability
4.5/5Quality & Member Experience
4/5Benefits & Access

  • Median Max Annual Cost Exposure

    $6,750

  • Median CMS Star Rating

    4.5

  • Counties Served

    67

  • Plans Available

    8
UnitedHealthcare

UnitedHealthcare

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

  • Median Max Annual Cost Exposure

    $5,400

  • Median CMS Star Rating

    4

  • Counties Served

    95

  • Plans Available

    9
WellCare

WellCare

MoneyGeek Rating
4.1/ 5
4.5/5Affordability
3.5/5Quality & Member Experience
4.6/5Benefits & Access

  • Median Max Annual Cost Exposure

    $4,800

  • Median CMS Star Rating

    3

  • Counties Served

    95

  • Plans Available

    5

How to Choose the Best Tennessee Medicare Advantage Plan

In Tennessee, nine in 10 Medicare Advantage plans charge nothing extra monthly, so the annual cost ceiling, doctor network and drug coverage are what truly separate plans.

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

    Check if your doctors participate in each Medicare Advantage plan you're considering. Acceptance by the insurance company doesn't guarantee acceptance by individual plans. Networks differ even within the same insurer's Medicare Advantage offerings.

  2. 2
    Compare Total Costs, Not Just Premiums

    $0 monthly premiums are attractive until specialist copays and drug costs add up across the year. Calculate annual expenses by adding prescription costs, specialist fees and expected medical appointments.

  3. 3
    Check Prescription Drug Coverage

    Medication costs vary between Tennessee Medicare Advantage plans based on tier placement. Lower tiers mean smaller copays at the pharmacy. Tier 1 drugs cost less than Tier 4 medications. Prior authorization adds days or weeks before you can fill certain prescriptions, so check your medications during enrollment rather than after.

  4. 4
    Compare Different Plan Types

    Doctor referrals and network restrictions separate different health insurance types. HMO plans require a referral from your primary care doctor before you can see a specialist, and coverage is limited to in-network providers. HMO-POS plans follow similar referral rules but allow limited out-of-network visits at a higher cost.

  5. 5
    Review Star Ratings and Quality Metrics

    Plans rated 4 or 5 stars by Medicare process claims faster and provide better member experiences. These ratings reflect quality measures, customer service performance and health outcome data.

  6. 6
    Compare Extra Benefits

    Gym memberships, dental cleanings, vision coverage, hearing aids and over-the-counter allowances appear in many Tennessee plans. Dental benefits cover cleanings and fillings. Vision benefits pay for exams and glasses.

  7. 7
    Check Out-of-Pocket Maximums

    Annual spending limits cap your costs when surgery, hospitalization or serious illness drives up your medical bills. Once you reach this out-of-pocket maximum, your plan covers all additional costs for the rest of the year. In Tennessee, 91% of plans charge a $0 monthly premium, so choose a plan with lower ceiling to cut your worst-case annual cost exposure.

How Much Does Medicare Advantage Cost in Tennessee?

Tennessee Medicare Advantage plans charge median monthly premiums of $0 across all four plan types, but annual out-of-pocket median ceilings range from $4,900 for HMOs to $5,575 for Regional PPOs, a $675 difference in worst-case annual costs.

No single plan type offers both the lowest specialist copayment and the lowest annual ceiling. Regional PPOs charge $20 per specialist visit, the least of any plan type, but carry the highest ceiling at $5,575.

HMOs carry the lowest median ceiling at $4,900 but charge $25 per specialist visit. Enrollees who see specialists often pay less overall with the HMO's $4,900 annual ceiling. Those who rarely see specialists spend less per visit at the Regional PPO's $20 copay.

Median Monthly Premium
$0
$0
$0
$0
Median Max Out-of-Pocket
$4,900
$5,400
$5,300
$5,575
Median Inpatient Copay
$295
$350
$295
$302
Median PCP Copay
$15
$15
$15
$15
Median Specialist Copay
$25
$30
$24
$20

*Median cost figures across all 86 non-SNP Tennessee MA plans, grouped by plan type. All dollar figures rounded to nearest dollar. Source: CMS 2026 data, MoneyGeek analysis.

Tennessee Medicare Advantage Resources

Tennessee enrollees can get free counseling, compare plans and access financial assistance through these state and federal resources.

  • Tennessee SHIP (State Health Insurance Assistance Program): Free, unbiased Medicare counseling from trained volunteers. SHIP counselors help Tennessee residents compare Medicare Advantage plans, review enrollment windows and explain coverage questions at no cost.
  • Medicare.gov Plan Finder: The federal comparison tool for Medicare Advantage plans. Search by ZIP code to see premiums, cost-sharing, drug coverage and star ratings for plans available in your county.
  • Tennessee Commission on Aging and Disability: Connects older Tennesseans to Medicare Savings Programs that reduce premiums and out-of-pocket costs for eligible residents.
  • Social Security Administration: Handles Medicare enrollment for most Tennessee residents. Apply for Medicare, check your enrollment status or set up premium payments through SSA online or by phone.
  • Medicare.gov: The official Medicare website for reviewing coverage rules, understanding beneficiary rights and appealing coverage denials in Tennessee.
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Frequently Asked Questions

Our Methodology

MoneyGeek reviewed Tennessee Medicare Advantage carriers for the 2026 plan year. The scores came from five CMS data sources: 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 gives each Tennessee carrier a score out of five from three weighted categories.   

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