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

UnitedHealthcare sells 492 Medicare Advantage plans in four types that differ on network rules and referrals. HMO-POS (305 plans) and PPO (179) make up 484 of them, and every state UnitedHealthcare serves, plus Washington, D.C., has one or both.   

• HMO (Health Maintenance Organization): Stay in the plan's network except in emergencies, with a primary care doctor's referral for specialists. Five UnitedHealthcare plans, all in Florida, with a $3,233 average MOOP that's $2,426 below UnitedHealthcare's HMO-POS average.
• HMO-POS (HMO with Point-of-Service): Works like an HMO but also covers some out-of-network care at a higher cost. UnitedHealthcare's most common type, with 305 plans in 40 states, and the main network option for buyers outside Florida.
• PPO (Preferred Provider Organization): See in-network or out-of-network doctors without a referral, though out-of-network care costs more. 179 UnitedHealthcare plans in 44 states and Washington, D.C. They average $37 a month, $22 more than HMO-POS, and suit buyers who keep out-of-network doctors.
• PFFS (Private Fee-for-Service): See any Medicare-approved doctor or hospital that accepts the plan's payment terms, with no referrals. Three UnitedHealthcare plans, one each in Kansas, Montana and Wyoming. They average $118 a month, $81 more than UnitedHealthcare's PPO average, and PPO plans are also sold in all three states.

UnitedHealthcare sells 492 Medicare Advantage plans in 46 states and Washington, D.C., and your options depend on where you live. Texas has the most with 50 plans, followed by Florida with 39 and California with 30. HMO-POS is the most common type (305 plans in 40 states), while PPO reaches the most places (179 plans in 44 states and Washington, D.C.). Connecticut and Maryland residents can buy only HMO-POS plans, while residents of Hawaii, Minnesota, North Dakota, West Virginia and Washington, D.C., can buy only PPO plans.

UnitedHealthcare's HMO plans average 4.5 CMS stars, 0.64 above the national HMO average, and its PPO plans beat the national PPO average by 0.24 stars. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Star Ratings grade Medicare Advantage plans from 1 to 5 stars on measures such as preventive screenings, chronic condition care, member complaints and customer service. PFFS plans are the weak spot at 2.5 stars, 0.75 below the national PFFS average.

* National averages are for the same plan type across Medicare Advantage insurers. 

UnitedHealthcare's 4.5-star HMO average falls between CMS's 4-star "above average" and 5-star "excellent" labels, and those Florida plans also carry $0 premiums. Its 2.5-star PFFS plans charge $118 a month, UnitedHealthcare's highest average premium, so PFFS enrollees in Kansas, Montana and Wyoming pay the most for its lowest-rated plans.

UnitedHealthcare's HMO plans are its cheapest Medicare Advantage option, with $0 premiums and a $3,233 average maximum out-of-pocket (MOOP) limit, $1,674 below the national HMO average. The MOOP caps what you pay each year for covered medical care, not counting premiums or drug costs. Only Florida residents can buy these plans.

*Averages cover all UnitedHealthcare plans of each type sold for 2026. National averages are for the same plan type across Medicare Advantage insurers. Source: MoneyGeek analysis of CMS 2026 Medicare Advantage plan data. 

UnitedHealthcare's PPO plans average $22 a month more than its HMO-POS plans ($264 a year) and a MOOP $912 higher, in exchange for out-of-network care without referrals. The two types are sold side by side in 38 states. The $912 MOOP difference is about 3.5 times the $264 yearly premium difference, so it matters most to people with heavy medical needs who expect to reach the cap.

UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage plans include several member benefits beyond basic medical coverage. Members get access to the UCard and Renew Active fitness program. Plans also include rewards for healthy activities and supplemental benefits not covered by Original Medicare.

• UCard Benefits: The UCard works as both your member ID and a debit card for eligible purchases. You can use it to buy healthy food, over-the-counter products and pay utility bills at over 55,000 participating retailers including Walmart, Walgreens and CVS.
• Renew Active Fitness Program: UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage plans include free access to over 25,000 gym and fitness locations nationwide. The program also provides thousands of on-demand workout videos, live streaming fitness classes and an online brain health program from AARP Staying Sharp.
• Dental, Vision and Hearing Coverage: Plans include dental coverage with $0 copays up to annual maximums. Vision benefits cover allowances for frames or contacts and hearing aid coverage runs through a network of providers. These benefits are not available through Original Medicare.
• Rewards Program: Members can earn rewards loaded onto their UCard by completing healthy activities like annual wellness visits, flu shots or walking regularly. Earned rewards can be spent at participating retailers on eligible items including groceries, clothing and household goods
• Prescription Drug Benefits: Most plans include $0 copays for Tier 1 prescriptions at network retail pharmacies and $0 copays for Tier 2 prescriptions through Optum Home Delivery. You also get access to mail-order prescription services.
• Virtual Care and Support: Access virtual doctor visits through video-enabled devices, 24/7 nurse support lines and care coordination services. Members can chat online with advocates or call the number on their UCard for assistance.

UnitedHealthcare's 492 Medicare Advantage plans vary in premiums, MOOP limits and drug coverage even within one state. Filter the table below by state, plan type and drug benefit to compare plans in your area.

The six Florida HMO-POS plans with enhanced drug coverage shown here have MOOPs from $2,400 to $6,750, a $4,350 difference within one plan type. The two lowest, UHC The Villages FL-004P ($2,400) and FL-0004 ($2,700), serve The Villages community, and Erickson Advantage plans are designed for Erickson Senior Living residents. Where they're sold, AARP Medicare Advantage from UHC FL-0012 and FL-003P pair $0 premiums with a $2,900 MOOP. Erickson Advantage Signature has the same $2,900 MOOP but charges $182 a month, or $2,184 a year.

We rate Medicare Advantage providers based on premiums, out-of-pocket expenses, customer experience, claims denial rates and plan selection, using CMS's 2026 Medicare Advantage plan data for 492 UnitedHealthcare plans in 46 states and Washington, D.C.

MoneyGeek weights health insurance provider scores as follows:

• Affordability (60%): When scoring providers on affordability, we considered monthly premiums, deductibles and maximum out-of-pocket (MOOP) costs. We weighted these factors as follows within the affordability score: monthly premiums (66.67%), deductible (16.67%), MOOP (16.67%).
• Customer Experience (30%): Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Star Ratings for Medicare Advantage plans. This 1-to-5-star system rates plans on measures such as preventive screenings, chronic condition care, member experience, complaints and customer service. Providers with the highest average rating get the highest score.
• Denial Rate (10%): Denial rate is the percentage of submitted claims or applications that are rejected instead of approved. Providers with the lowest denial rate get the highest score.

Data sources

Medicare Advantage plan and provider data comes from CMS's Medicare Advantage plan data for the 2026 plan year. Each UnitedHealthcare average is compared with the national average for the same plan type across Medicare Advantage insurers.

Plans analyzed

We grouped UnitedHealthcare's 492 plans into four types: HMO (five plans), HMO-POS (305), PPO (179) and PFFS (three). Medicare Advantage plans charge every member the same premium regardless of age, so the figures don't depend on a sample age profile.