Humana Medicare Advantage Review (2026): Cost, Pros & Cons

Humana Medicare Advantage is worth it for seniors focused on low premiums, and a weaker fit for anyone who needs a PPO with a low out-of-pocket maximum, which is the most a member pays in a year for covered in-network care and excludes premiums and prescription drug costs. Its HMO plans average $5 a month, $7 below the national HMO average, and 83% have $0 premiums beyond the Medicare Part B premium.

Humana's PPO plans average 3.76 stars, above the 3.63 national PPO average, but their $6,640 average out-of-pocket maximum exceeds the national PPO average by $374. Seniors who want a lower out-of-pocket maximum should compare Humana's HMO plans, whose maximums average $4,874 but range from $375 to $9,250 in MoneyGeek data.

Humana's HMO-POS plans score 3.48, the lowest-rated plan type in the portfolio and 0.53 below the national HMO-POS average of 4.01. Members with chronic conditions or frequent care needs should review the ratings of HMO-POS plans in their county at medicare.gov before enrolling in this plan type.

Humana has four Medicare Advantage plan types, which are Health Maintenance Organization (HMO), HMO Point-of-Service (HMO-POS), Preferred Provider Organization (PPO) and Private Fee-for-Service (PFFS) plans. Each determines how you access care and which providers you can see. Availability varies by state.

• Health Maintenance Organization (HMO): You choose a primary care doctor who coordinates your care and refers you to specialists. You must use in-network providers except for emergencies, out-of-area urgent care and out-of-area dialysis.
• HMO Point-of-Service (HMO-POS): This plan type uses the same in-network structure as an HMO, but it covers some out-of-network services at a higher cost share, so you pay a larger portion of the bill.
• Preferred Provider Organization (PPO): You can see any Medicare-approved provider without referrals. In-network care costs less, and out-of-network care is covered at a higher cost share. Members who want to choose their own providers without coordinating through a primary care doctor can use this plan type.
• Private Fee-for-Service (PFFS): You can visit any Medicare-approved provider that accepts the plan's payment terms. No referrals are required, though some PFFS plans have provider networks. Doctors decide visit by visit whether to accept a PFFS plan's payment terms, so confirm acceptance before each appointment.

Humana's Medicare Advantage plans are available in 46 states and Washington, D.C. Texas has 48 plans across HMO, PPO and PFFS tiers, and Florida has 38.

Connecticut, Delaware, Massachusetts, Vermont, Wyoming and Washington, D.C. have PPO plans only, with no HMO or HMO-POS options. Seniors in those states have access only to the PPO tier, where Humana's average out-of-pocket maximum is $6,640, $1,766 above its $4,874 HMO average. Minnesota also has no HMO or HMO-POS options, but it has one PFFS plan.

Humana's Medicare Advantage plans have an average CMS Star Rating of 3.70 out of 5, 0.11 below the national average of 3.81 across all insurers' 2026 plan offerings. CMS star ratings score each plan on care effectiveness and member experience. CMS measures care coordination and health outcomes alongside member satisfaction and customer service.

Humana's HMO and HMO-POS tiers rate below their national averages, and HMO-POS plans fall furthest, with a 3.48 rating that's 0.53 below the 4.01 national average. The shortfall matters most for members who manage chronic conditions or see specialists regularly

Ratings for Humana's HMO-POS plans vary by plan contract, so the plans sold in your county can score above or below the average. Use the Medicare Plan Finder at medicare.gov with your ZIP code to see what Humana's HMO-POS plans score in your county before enrolling.

Sixty-eight percent of Humana Medicare Advantage plans have $0 monthly premiums beyond the Medicare Part B premium, based on MoneyGeek's analysis of CMS data.

Network flexibility trades off against annual cost exposure across Humana's four plan types. Humana's HMO has the lowest ceiling of any plan type at $4,874, $33 below the national HMO average, and 83% of HMO plans have $0 monthly premiums. Seniors who are comfortable staying in-network get the lowest monthly costs and the lowest annual exposure ceiling from this tier.

PPO plans add out-of-network coverage and raise the out-of-pocket maximum to $6,640, $374 above the national PPO average of $6,266. A senior who reaches the PPO maximum pays $1,766 more in medical costs per year than a Humana HMO member who reaches the HMO maximum.

PFFS plans average $26 a month, $9 more than PPO plans, and carry a $6,608 out-of-pocket maximum, $32 below the PPO maximum, so PFFS costs more than PPO whether you use little care or reach the limit.

Humana's Medicare Advantage plans include dental and vision benefits that Original Medicare doesn't cover. All plans also include hearing coverage, and most include Part D prescription drug benefits, with $0 copays for Tier 1 and Tier 2 medications at preferred pharmacies. Plan-level benefit limits vary by county. Check the Summary of Benefits for your specific plan to confirm dental caps, hearing aid coverage and any cost-sharing that applies before enrolling.

• Dental coverage: All Humana plans, including the Humana Gold Plus HMO series, include dental benefits covering preventive care such as cleanings and X-rays, plus restorative services including fillings, crowns and deep cleanings. Annual dental benefit caps vary by plan and county. Check the Summary of Benefits for your plan to confirm restorative coverage limits before enrolling.
• Vision and hearing benefits: All 2026 Humana plans include routine vision coverage for eye exams and eyewear. Hearing benefits cover exams and hearing aids, which Original Medicare doesn't cover.
• Prescription drug coverage: Most Humana Medicare Advantage plans, including HumanaChoice PPO plans, include Part D drug coverage, and many plans have $0 copays for Tier 1 medications at preferred pharmacies.
• Primary care and preventive services: Many plans feature unlimited primary care visits with $0 copays at in-network providers. Preventive services also carry $0 copays, including mammograms, colonoscopies, bone density exams and routine vaccines.
• Special Needs Plans: Humana's Institutional Special Needs Plans (I-SNPs) include additional care coordination support through an on-site nurse practitioner for members who live in long-term care facilities.

Humana Medicare Advantage plan availability varies by state and county. Use the table to review options in your area and compare coverage across plan types:

MoneyGeek's scoring system rates Medicare Advantage plans on quality, affordability and availability across the U.S. The 2026 dataset covers all Medicare Advantage contracts, sourced from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services plan landscape files. Our dataset covers premiums, out-of-pocket maximums and CMS Star Ratings across every plan type, HMO, HMO-POS, PPO and PFFS, in all 46 states and Washington, D.C., where Humana participates. Humana's figures cover 593 plan offerings, counting a plan once for each state where it's sold, and every average, including national averages, weights each offering equally. National premium averages compare plans of the same type and drug coverage level.

Scoring System

Three factors determine which plans provide the best value for your health care needs:

• Affordability (50%): Cost makes up half of our overall score because it directly affects your budget. Monthly premiums for Part C and Part D coverage combined account for 30% of the total score, and in-network out-of-pocket maximums account for 20%.
• Star Ratings (40%): CMS ratings score each plan on care effectiveness and member experience, covering how well the plan coordinates care and resolves member issues. The Overall Star Rating combines both Part C (medical coverage) and Part D (prescription drug) ratings on a scale from 1 to 5 stars.
• Availability (10%): Geographic reach accounts for the remaining 10%. Providers available in more states are more likely to offer a plan in your new area if you move.