bestMedicare AdvantageMaineBest Maine Medicare Advantage Plans
Updated: May 6, 2024
Advertising & Editorial Disclosure
MoneyGeek’s research involved reviewing several plans to identify those that are widely available and have a high star rating from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. We examined plans based on multiple scenarios, such as the plan type, those with drug coverage, and those that limit out-of-pocket expenses.
However, the recommendations we make are generalizations. The only way to find a plan that best fits your requirements and unique situation is to shop around. Remember to check that your preferred hospitals and healthcare providers are in the network of the plan you purchase.
If you're not looking for a Medicare Advantage plan but want to cover out-of-pocket costs that your base Medicare plan doesn't cover, MoneyGeek also ranked the best Medicare Supplement Plans in Maine.
bestMedicare AdvantageMaineBest Medicare Advantage Plans in Maine
Best plan overall - AARP
Best HMO plan - Aetna Medicare
Best Medicare Advantage Plan in Maine - Overall
The coverages you need, your health situation and even where you live will determine which Medicare Advantage plan in Maine is most suitable for you. Our analysis found that the best plan in the state for a buyer who wants a PPO plan that includes drug coverage, six common benefits and a high star rating from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is AARP Medicare Advantage Choice Plan 1, offered by UnitedHealthcare.
A Preferred Provider Organization (PPO) plan is usually more expensive than others. Still, it offers flexibility regarding out-of-network care, giving you access to a wider network of medical providers. Another advantage of a PPO plan is that you don’t need a referral to see a specialist.
AARP
MoneyGeek’s analysis found that AARP Medicare Advantage Choice Plan 1 may be the best option for those who prefer PPO plans. However, the best plan for you may differ based on your unique needs. Some of the details of this plan are:
- No monthly premium
- Includes drug coverage with a $250 annual deductible
- Has an in-network maximum out-of-pocket limit of $5,900
- An overall CMS star rating of 5 out of 5
With this plan, you get all six commonly-offered benefits, including vision, hearing, dental, fitness, worldwide emergency and telehealth. With its worldwide emergency benefits, it’s ideal for travelers.
Best HMO Medicare Advantage Plan in Maine
The Aetna Medicare Value Plan, offered by Aetna Medicare, is the best HMO plan in Maine for most people. This plan includes drug coverage, has seven benefits and a high star rating from CMS. Still, your healthcare needs will decide which plan is the best option for you.
Health Maintenance Organization (HMO) plans are the most common type of healthcare plan and are typically more affordable than other types of plans. However, HMO plans limit you to services within the prescribed network. The only exception to this rule is for emergencies. You’ll also need a referral to see a specialist.
Aetna Medicare
The Aetna Medicare Value Plan is the best HMO plan in Maine for most people. It includes Part D drug coverage (which helps cover the cost of prescription drugs) and has a total of seven benefits. There are six of the most common benefits — telehealth, worldwide emergency, vision, hearing, dental and fitness — plus over-the-counter drugs.
Other features of this plan are:
- No monthly premium
- No annual drug deductible
- An in-network max-out-of-pocket limit of $5,900
- An overall CMS star rating of 5 out of 5
Best Medicare Advantage Plan in Maine Without Drug Coverage
In Maine, the options for Medicare Advantage plans increase if you don’t require prescription drug coverage. AARP Medicare Advantage Patriot offered by UnitedHealthcare may be the best plan for most shoppers who aren’t looking for Part D drug coverage. This plan has all six of the most common benefits, plus one less common benefit, and gets a high CMS star rating.
AARP
Although our analysis found that the AARP Medicare Advantage Patriot plan is the best without drug coverage in Maine, it pays to perform your own research to find the plan most suited for your healthcare needs.
For shoppers who do not need drug coverage, AARP Medicare Advantage Patriot is our choice of the best Medicare Advantage plan in Maine. Some of the important features of this plan are:
- No monthly premium
- Has an in-network max-out-of-pocket limit of $4,500
- An overall CMS star rating of 5 out of 5
In addition to all six of the most common benefits that are included with this plan (fitness, telehealth, worldwide emergency, vision, hearing and dental), it also includes an over-the-counter drugs benefit. AARP Medicare Advantage Patriot has the highest CMS star rating possible.
Best Medicare Advantage Plan in Maine for Low Max Out-of-Pocket Costs
Maine residents can choose from several plans that come with low or no premiums. However, you may still end up with significant out-of-pocket expenses. If you’re looking to keep your out-of-pocket expenses to a minimum but want a plan that comes with the six most common benefits, has drug coverage and a high CMS star rating, you can find it using MoneyGeek’s analysis.
There are two plans that meet these criteria. They are the AARP Medicare Advantage Choice Plan 1 and the AARP Medicare Advantage Choice Plan 3, both offered by UnitedHealthcare.
MoneyGeek filtered out the plans with high out-of-pocket max limits to find the best plans with or without drug coverage and a low in-network out-of-pocket max limit.
AARP
AARP Medicare Advantage Choice Plan 1 is a good option for Maine residents who want to keep a check on their out-of-pocket expenses. This is what you can expect with this plan:
- No monthly premium
- Has an in-network max-out-of-pocket limit of $5,900
- An overall CMS star rating of 5 out of 5
A plan with a low out-of-pocket maximum can be extremely useful especially when you have to meet significant medical costs in a year. To cite an example, your insurer will cover all medical costs once you reach your out-of-pocket limit of $5,900.
Since this is a PPO plan, insurers have a separate limit for maximum out-of-pocket expenses for out-of-network coverage. For this plan, the limit is $1,000.
In Maine, the AARP Medicare Advantage Choice Plan 3 is another viable option to keep out-of-pocket expenses in check. With this plan, you get:
- No monthly premium
- Has an in-network max-out-of-pocket limit of $6,700
- An overall CMS star rating of 5 out of 5
With the AARP Medicare Advantage Choice Plan 3, you can keep your out-of-pocket expenses to a minimum. This is particularly helpful when you have considerable medical payments to make in a year. For example, once you reach your max in-network out-of-pocket limit of $6,700 with this plan, all further medical payments will be paid for by your insurance provider.
Insurers define separate max out-of-network coverage for PPO plans. With this plan, the maximum out-of-pocket limit for out-of-network coverage is $1,000.
Medicare Advantage Plan in Maine - Statistics
Maine residents can choose Medicare Advantage plans from six providers. The statistics below may help you understand some of the common and less common features of these plans in the state.
- 1
Maine Medicare Advantage Plans are a mix of HMO, PPO and PFFS plans with 81.5% offering drug coverage
In Maine, most of the Medicare Advantage plans are Preferred Provider Organization (PPO) plans, which account for 46.7% of all plans. At 34.8%, Health Maintenance Organization (HMO) plans are the second most widely available plans, while 3.3% are Private Fee-For-Service (PFFS) plans. The majority (81.5%) of all Medicare Advantage plans in Maine offer drug coverage.
- 2
69% of Medicare Advantage Plans in Maine have a $0 premium
The majority (69%) of all Medicare Advantage plans in Maine have a $0 premium. For plans that do have a charge, the average monthly premium is $49.40.
- 3
Vision, hearing, fitness benefits, worldwide emergency and telehealth are the common benefits in Maine, with most plans offering them
In Maine, all the Medicare Advantage plans offer vision, hearing, worldwide emergency, telehealth and fitness benefits. Most (90%) offer dental, but benefits such as transportation, in-home support, home safety devices and modifications, and emergency response devices are rarely offered.
Methodology
MoneyGeek collected data from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services 2022 MA Landscape Source Files released in October 2021. Plans in Maine were filtered down to those that offer drug coverage (unless otherwise noted), offer six of the most common Medicare Advantage coverage benefits and are available to at least 50% of the population of Maine based on county availability.
About Mark Fitzpatrick
Mark Fitzpatrick is a Licensed Property and Casualty Insurance Producer and MoneyGeek's Head of Insurance. He has analyzed the insurance market for over five years, conducting original research and creating personalized content for every kind of buyer. He has been quoted in several insurance-related publications, including CNBC, NBC News and Mashable.
Fitzpatrick earned a master’s degree in economics and international relations from Johns Hopkins University and a bachelor’s degree from Boston College. He is passionate about using his knowledge of economics and insurance to bring transparency around financial topics and help others feel confident in their money moves.