Best Cheap Medicare Advantage Plans in Arizona
Devoted Health is the best company for Medicare Advantage plans in Arizona.
UnitedHealthcare is also a good choice, especially if you want a company with good service ratings. And Amerigroup has the best plans with no monthly fees. A Medicare Advantage plan costs an average of $15 in Arizona, but everyone has access to at least one plan with no monthly cost.
ValuePenguin reviewed Arizona Medicare Advantage plans based on price, availability, coverage quality and customer satisfaction. Plans considered are HMO and PPO plans and plans with prescription drug coverage. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) uses a rating system to rate plan quality and customer satisfaction. The ratings are on a scale of zero to five stars, with higher ratings indicating better-quality plans.
Compare the best cheap Medicare Advantage plans in Arizona
Devoted Health's Medicare Advantage plans are the best in Arizona because of their low prices and good coverage.
But UnitedHealthcare is also well rated, and it is available to more people across the state. If you want a plan that has no monthly cost, Amerigroup is the best option.
These companies are great choices, but the best option for you could be different. As you're shopping for the best Medicare Advantage plan, remember to think about your medical needs and what kind of coverage and perks you want.
Company | Monthly cost | CMS rating | |
---|---|---|---|
Alignment Health | $0 | Not yet rated | |
Amerigroup | $0 | ||
Cigna | $0 | ||
Gold Kidney of AZ | $0 | Not yet rated | |
Imperial Health | $0 |
Every Medicare Advantage plan uses an insurance network, which determines what medical offices you can use with your coverage. Most plans use HMO or PPO networks, although other types of health insurance networks exist. HMOs are usually cheaper, but you have to get a referral from your primary care doctor to see a specialist. And if you go outside the network, you will pay for all of your medical care. PPOs generally cost a bit more each month, but you can see a specialist without waiting for a referral. You also have more flexibility to choose a doctor. You will pay more if you go out of the network, but you'll still have coverage.
Devoted Health: Best cheap plans
Medicare Advantage plans from Devoted Health have cheap rates and good coverage, and they're available to most Arizona residents.
Devoted Health sells four different plans in Arizona: Choice, Core, Giveback and Select. Choice, Core and Giveback all cost $0 per month. Only the Select plan has a monthly rate. Choice is the company's only PPO option and has no monthly fee, which makes it a good option for flexible coverage and cheap rates.
However, the Core and Select plans are good options if you have high medical bills since you'll pay less for your care. Both plans use HMO networks though, so you'll have to go to specific doctors to have coverage. You will also probably need a referral to see a specialist.
All Medicare Advantage plans from Devoted Health include basic dental coverage. And most plans have coverage for most in-depth dental services like dentures, root canals and crowns. Depending on the plan you buy, you might also get a free SilverSneakers gym membership, a free medical alert device, money to spend on healthy foods and an allowance to spend on over-the-counter health products like vitamins and toothpaste.
Devoted Health also has a high average quality rating in Arizona. The company gets four out of five stars from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Devoted Health has a perfect score in a few categories, including diabetes care, kidney disease monitoring and rheumatoid arthritis management. This makes it a good choice for those who have chronic health issues.
But the company has an average score when it comes to getting appointments and needed care quickly, which means you may notice a lag time between when you need medical care and when you can get an appointment.
UnitedHealthcare: Best highly rated plans
-
Star rating
-
Monthly rate
$14 ?
Why it's great
- Offers plans in every Arizona county
- Has high-quality coverage
- The large network makes it easy to get covered care
UnitedHealthcare's Medicare Advantage plans have high customer satisfaction and good-quality coverage.
The company has an average rating of 4.2 out of five stars in Arizona, which is slightly higher than Devoted Health's rating. It's also available in every county in the state, which means everyone who is eligible for Medicare in Arizona has access to a UnitedHealthcare plan.
In Arizona, UnitedHealthcare only sells Medicare Advantage plans through its partnership with AARP. You don't have to join AARP to buy a plan, but a membership does give you access to AARP's benefits, like discounts on hotels and rental cars.
However, UnitedHealthcare's plans cost an average of $14 per month. That's still $1 less per month than the state average, but it's significantly more than what some other companies charge. But for some, the coverage quality might be worth the extra cost. And UnitedHealthcare does have a few plans that have no monthly rate:
- AARP Medicare Advantage Choice Plan 2
- AARP Medicare Advantage Plan 1
- AARP Medicare Advantage Plan 2
- AARP Medicare Advantage Plan 4
- AARP Medicare Advantage Walgreens Plan 1
Of these plans, the AARP Medicare Advantage Walgreens Plan 1 is good if you want the flexibility to choose a doctor and a $0 premium plan. It uses a PPO network, which means you can see any doctor you'd like and still have some coverage. It's also more widely available than the AARP Medicare Advantage Choice Plan 2, which also uses a PPO network. The AARP Medicare Advantage Walgreens Plan 1 also means you could pay less overall for your medical bills since it has a lower out-of-pocket maximum than the AARP Medicare Advantage Choice Plan 2.
Amerigroup: Best $0 plans
-
Star rating
-
Monthly rate
$0 ?
Why it's great
- Every plan has a $0 monthly rate
- Sells plans that can reduce your total medical spending
- Plans are available to 85% of Arizona Medicare recipients
Amerigroup's plans have no monthly cost and are available for most Arizona residents.
If you have high medical bills, the Amerivantage Classic Plus plan is the best option from Amerigroup. As with Amerigroup's other plans, there's no monthly cost and you have coverage for prescription drugs right away. You will only pay up to $2,700 per year for your medical costs, which is one of the lowest out-of-pocket maximums available in the state.
According to CMS, Medicare Advantage plans from Amerigroup aren't as good as plans from other companies in Arizona. Amerigroup has a particularly low score for customer service. Before you buy a plan, it might be a good idea to talk to current members about their experience.
With Amerigroup, there is a trade-off between cost and plan quality. It only sells plans with no monthly fee, but the low customer satisfaction could mean frustrations when you need to use your coverage. For most Arizona shoppers, it probably makes more sense to get a plan from Devoted Health.
Medicare Advantage availability in Arizona
Where you live in Arizona determines how many plans are available to you. If you live near Phoenix or Tucson, you'll have the most plan options. Phoenix residents can choose between 57 different plans. If you live in the northeast part of the state, though, you have the fewest options, with just seven plans to pick from.
Number of Medicare Advantage plans by Arizona county
Number of Medicare Advantage plans per county in Arizona
Arizona county | Number of Medicare Advantage plans |
---|---|
Apache | 7 |
Cochise | 17 |
Coconino | 21 |
Gila | 18 |
Graham | 16 |
Arizona Medicare enrollment statistics
- Medicare-eligible residents in Arizona: 1,407,736
- Medicare Advantage enrollees in Arizona: 668,675
- Number of Medicare Advantage companies in Arizona: 17
- Average monthly cost of Medicare Advantage in Arizona: $15
How to choose an Arizona Medicare Advantage plan
To find the best Medicare Advantage plan in Arizona, it's helpful to compare your options. Comparing the plans available to you helps you choose the option that provides the best coverage for your unique circumstances.
Understand your needs: Think about how often you go to a doctor, what medications you take and what procedures you may need. Understanding your medical needs helps you find a plan that has coverage for the health situations you face.
Get quotes: This lets you review the monthly rate for each plan. You'll also be able to see what the plan's out-of-pocket maximum, copays and coinsurance levels are. These features determine how much you pay for medical care.
Review each plan's coverage: Once you know what type of coverage and benefits you need, review the plans in your area to find one that fits your health concerns. If you take prescription medications, make sure your drugs are covered. If you want to continue seeing the same doctors, make sure the offices are in the plan's network.
Analyze plan quality and customer satisfaction: Use the star rating system from CMS to check a plan's quality. It can also be helpful to look at sources like J.D. Power and to talk to current members to see what their experience has been.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best Medicare Advantage plan in Arizona?
Devoted Health sells the best Medicare Advantage plans in Arizona because of its low rates and high-quality coverage. UnitedHealthcare is also a good option for quality coverage, and Amerigroup is a good choice for $0 plans.
How much does Medicare Advantage cost in Arizona?
The average cost of a Medicare Advantage plan in Arizona is $15 per month. But everyone in Arizona has access to a plan that has no monthly cost. Remember that the cost of a Medicare Advantage plan is in addition to the cost for Medicare Part B.
How do I find Medicare Advantage plans in my area?
The best way to find out what Medicare Advantage plans are sold in your area is to use the search tool on Medicare.gov. You input your ZIP code and select that you're looking for Medicare Advantage plans. The website then shows a list of all the Medicare Advantage plans in your area. You can filter by company, network type, if the plan has drug coverage and more.
Methodology
Average rate data comes from public use files provided by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) for Medicare plan data. Only Medicare Advantage plans with prescription drug coverage were used to calculate prices. Data from the University of Iowa was used for Medicare Advantage enrollment and Medicare-eligible population statistics. Employer group plans, Medicare-Medicaid Plans (MMPs), Medical Savings Account (MSA) plans, Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) plans, Health Care Prepayment Plans (HCPPs), sanctioned plans and Special Needs Plans (SNPs) are excluded from average rates.
Comparisons were made using average rate data, CMS star ratings, county availability, coverage and extra benefits. Other sources include Amerigroup, Devoted Health and UnitedHealthcare.
ValuePenguin.com is owned and operated by LendingTree, LLC ("LendingTree"). All rights reserved.
Invitations for application for insurance may be made through QW Insurance Solutions, LLC ("QWIS"), a separate subsidiary of QuoteWizard, LLC ("QuoteWizard"), a LendingTree subsidiary, or through its designated agents, only where licensed and appointed. Licensing information for QWIS can be found here. QWIS is a non-government licensed health insurance agency. Not affiliated with or endorsed by any government agency.
Callers will be directed to a licensed and certified representative of Medicare Supplement insurance and/or Medicare Advantage HMO, HMO SNP, PPO, PPO SNP and PFFS organizations. Calls will be routed to a licensed insurance agent who can provide you with further information about the insurance plans offered by one or more nationally recognized insurance companies. Each of the organizations they represent has a Medicare contract. Enrollment in any plan depends on contract renewal.
Availability of benefits and plans varies by carrier and location and may be limited to certain times of the year unless you qualify for a Special Enrollment Period. We do not offer every plan available in your area. Currently we represent 73 organizations which offer 5,110 products in your area. Please contact Medicare.gov or 1-800-MEDICARE, or your local State Health Insurance Program (SHIP) to get information on all of your options.
These numbers provided are not specific to your area, but rather represent the number of organizations and the number of products available on a national basis. We will connect you with licensed insurance agents who can provide information about the number of organizations they represent and the number of products they offer in your service area. Not all plans offer all of these benefits. Benefits may vary by carrier and location.
Deductibles, copays, coinsurance, limitations, and exclusions may apply.
Medicare has neither reviewed nor endorsed the information contained on this website. Medicare evaluates plans based on a 5-star rating system every year.
MULTIPLAN_QW.VP.WEB_C
Editorial Note: We are committed to providing accurate content that helps you make informed financial decisions. Our partners have not endorsed or commissioned this content.