Best Medicare Advantage Plans in Virginia (2026)

Based on CMS star ratings, premiums, MOOP costs and coverage features, we identified Virginia's best Medicare Advantage plans. Cigna HealthCare is top for both HMO and PPO plans with $0 monthly premiums and $6,250 maximum out-of-pocket costs, while Kaiser Permanente offers the top HMO-POS option. 

Cigna's HMO plans earn 4-star ratings, compared with 3-star ratings for its PPO plans, and Kaiser maintains a strong 4.5-star rating. Both providers deliver affordable premiums with comprehensive coverage across the state.

Medicare Advantage plans bundle hospital stays, doctor visits and prescription drugs into single packages that serve as alternatives to Original Medicare. These Part C plans must match Original Medicare's coverage while adding benefits like dental, vision and hearing care. 

• CMS Star Ratings: Plans receive ratings from 1 to 5 stars based on quality, performance and member satisfaction. Higher ratings mean better care, with 4-star and 5-star plans delivering superior service.
• Monthly premiums: You'll pay your Part B premium plus any plan-specific premium, though many charge $0 additional. Your total cost depends on your chosen coverage level and location.
• Maximum out-of-pocket (MOOP) limits: These caps protect you from high medical expenses by limiting your annual spending on covered services. Once you reach this limit, your plan pays 100% for the rest of the year.
• Drug coverage: Most plans include prescription drug coverage with a formulary listing covered medications. Check if your medications are covered and understand any usage restrictions or approval requirements.

Virginia's three HMO Medicare Advantage providers offer 15 total plans. Star ratings range from 3.0 to 4.5 stars, but just three plans earn 4 stars or higher. Twelve plans charge $0 monthly premiums, and the median premium is $0. Out-of-pocket costs vary widely from $1,800 to $9,250, averaging $6,870 annually. 

• Cigna HealthCare's single plan carries a 4.0-star rating with $0 premium and $6,250 maximum out-of-pocket costs.
• With 13 plans available, Humana charges $5 monthly on average but has higher out-of-pocket maximums at $7,972 and a 3.49-star rating.
• Aetna provides one zero-premium plan with $6,750 MOOP and 3.0-star rating.

Virginia's HMO-POS Medicare Advantage plans earn high quality ratings, with 11 receiving 4 stars and five earning 3 stars. Six providers offer 30 coverage options, and 16 don't charge monthly premiums. Maximum out-of-pocket costs run $6,109 but span considerably from $2,900 to $9,250. 

• Kaiser Permanente's six plans rate 4.5 stars and score 5.0 with MoneyGeek. Monthly premiums run $41 with $6,044 maximum out-of-pocket costs.
• At $3,850, Cigna HealthCare has Virginia's lowest MOOP through one plan charging $22 monthly and rated 4.0 stars, scoring 4.32.
• Thirteen coverage options from UnitedHealthcare average $17 per month with $6,239 out-of-pocket maximums, scoring 4.25.
• Humana's zero-premium plan scores 4.18 but carries the state's highest $9,250 maximum out-of-pocket cost.

PPO Medicare Advantage coverage in Virginia comes through 27 plans with premiums spanning $0 to $255. Most people pay nothing, as the median sits at $0. You get the freedom to see any doctor without referrals, though this flexibility costs more than HMO alternatives. Out-of-pocket spending limits fall between $3,000 and $9,250, around $7,521. Strong quality marks the Virginia market, where 14 plans achieved 4 stars or higher. Thirteen scored 4.5 stars, one earned 4 stars, eleven received 3.5 stars, and two got 3 stars. 

• A 4.4 MoneyGeek score puts Cigna HealthCare at the top with a zero-premium plan capping expenses at $6,250. Quality sits lower at 3.0 CMS stars.
• UnitedHealthcare's 4.3 MoneyGeek rating covers nine plans requiring $58 monthly on average. Out-of-pocket maximums average $6,700, and quality jumps to 4.33 CMS stars.
• Aetna brings four plans to Virginia at $38 average monthly cost. Out-of-pocket limits reach $7,329, paired with a 4.31 MoneyGeek score and top-tier 4.5 CMS stars.

Picking Virginia Medicare Advantage coverage means matching plan features to your healthcare habits and financial situation.

Plan type impacts Medicare Advantage costs across Virginia. HMO plans offer the most affordable option with a $0 median premium and $7 average monthly cost, though they carry $6,870 average out-of-pocket maximums. HMO-POS plans cost more at $23 average monthly but provide lower $6,109 out-of-pocket limits. PPO plans have the highest costs with $24 average monthly premiums and $7,521 out-of-pocket maximums, nearly double HMO amounts because they allow you to see out-of-network providers and access specialists without referrals.

Get answers about Medicare Advantage enrollment processes, what's covered and enrollment timing for Virginia residents.

Our analysis of Medicare Advantage plans uses a scoring methodology and three key factors:

• Affordability (50%): Cost accounts for half of our overall score because it affects your budget. We evaluated monthly premiums for Part C and Part D coverage combined (30% weight) and in-network maximum out-of-pocket limits (20% weight). Plans with lower premiums and MOOP amounts score higher since they reduce your total annual health care spending.
• Star Ratings (40%): CMS star ratings measure plan quality across categories like care effectiveness, customer service and member satisfaction. The Overall Star Rating combines both Part C (medical coverage) and Part D (prescription drug) ratings on a scale from 1 to 5 stars. Plans with higher ratings earn better scores in our analysis.
• Availability (10%): We score providers based on how many states they operate in, including Washington, D.C. Providers with broader geographic availability score higher because they're more likely to maintain coverage if you move and often have more resources for customer support and plan improvements.

This scoring system helps you compare plans objectively while accounting for what matters most: what you'll pay and the quality of care you'll receive.