There are 79 different Alabama Medicare Advantage (Medicare Part C) plans offered in Alabama for 2024.1 Not every plan is available in each county, so it’s important to find out which ones are offered where you live.
A licensed insurance agent can help you compare the availability, benefits and costs of Medicare Advantage plans in your area of Alabama. Read below to learn more about Medicare in your state.
Average costs of Medicare Advantage in Alabama
The average premium for a Medicare Advantage plan in Alabama is $8.01 per month for 2024.1
Individual plan premiums, deductibles and out-of-pocket costs may vary greatly depending on where you live and the plan you have.
You can view the 2024 average Alabama Medicare Advantage plan monthly premiums by county listed below in this guide.
A licensed insurance agent can help you compare Medicare Advantage plan costs in your area.
Medicare Eligibility & Enrollment
If you want to enroll in Medicare Advantage in Alabama, you must first be enrolled in Medicare Part A and Part B, often referred to as Original Medicare.
To be eligible for Original Medicare at age 65, you must meet the following requirements:
- You must be a U.S. citizen or permanent legal resident who has lived in the U.S. for five continuous years.
- You or your spouse must have worked long enough to be eligible for Social Security or Railroad Retirement benefits.
- You or your spouse must be government employees or retirees who have not paid into Social Security but have paid Medicare payroll taxes.
You may also be eligible for Medicare benefits under 65 if:
- You have been receiving Social Security disability benefits or certain Railroad Retirement Board disability benefits for at least 24 months.
- You have ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or Lou Gehrig’s disease).
- You have End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD), and you or your spouse have paid Social Security taxes for a certain length of time.
If you have ESRD, you may be able to enroll in a Medicare Advantage plan or an Alabama Medicare Special Needs Plan (SNP) that is specifically designed to help meet your health care needs.
How to sign up for a Medicare Advantage Plan
Your first opportunity to enroll in a Alabama Medicare Part C plan is during your Medicare Initial Enrollment Period (IEP).
Your Medicare IEP starts three months before your 65th birthday. It includes the month of your 65th birthday and then continues for another three months after your birthday.
Additional times at which you may sign up for a Medicare Advantage plan include:
Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period: January 1 – March 31
If you’re already enrolled in a Part C plan, from January 1 to March 31 every year, you may switch Medicare Advantage plans or drop your Medicare Advantage plan and return to Original Medicare.
If you return to Original Medicare during this period, you’ll be able to join a Medicare standalone prescription drug plan (Medicare Part D).
Fall Medicare Open Enrollment Period (AEP): October 15 – December 7
From October 15 to December 7 every year, you may enroll in a Medicare Advantage plan or switch from one Medicare Advantage plan to another.
You may also drop your existing Medicare Advantage plan and return to Original Medicare.
During the fall open enrollment period (also known as the Annual Enrollment Period or “AEP”), you may also join, switch or drop a Medicare Part D plan.
Medicare Special Enrollment Periods (SEP)
You may potentially be granted a Medicare Special Enrollment Period (SEP) at any time throughout the year for qualifying circumstances.
A licensed insurance agent can help you find out if you qualify for a Medicare Special Enrollment Period.
Top-rated Medicare Advantage Plans in Alabama 2024
Each year, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issues star ratings for all Medicare Advantage plans using a system of one to five stars.
In order for a Medicare Advantage plan to be designated as a top-rated plan, it must have four or more stars out of five stars.
51.8% of 2023 MA plans in Alabama that include prescription drug coverage were rated 4 stars or higher.2
| Star Ratings | |
|---|---|
| ★★★★★ | Excellent |
| ★★★★ | Above Average |
| ★★★ | Average |
| ★★ | Below Average |
| ★ | Poor |
Medicare Advantage plans are rated in the following five categories:
- Preventive care and health maintenance (screenings, tests, vaccines, etc.)
- Management of chronic conditions
- Member experiences and ratings of the plan
- Member complaints, problems receiving services and member retention
- Customer service
The information for the star ratings is gathered from information that is submitted to Medicare, Medicare’s regular monitoring activities and member surveys.
List of Medicare Advantage Plans Available in Alabama in 2024
To view a list of plans offered in your part of Alabama, you can visit www.medicare.gov or use our plan comparison tool.
Private insurance companies offer Medicare Advantage plans in Alabama
Multiple insurance carriers may offer Medicare Advantage plans in Alabama, depending on where you live.
Some of the insurance companies who offer Medicare Advantage plans in Alabama include:
- Humana
- Aetna
- UHC
- Wellcare
- Cigna Healthcare
This is not a comprehensive list of all the insurance companies that offer Medicare Advantage plans where you live. You can visit Medicare.gov to see a full list of insurance companies who offer Medicare Advantage plans where you live.
Private insurance companies offer Medicare Advantage plans that may be unique to the plan area they serve.
Call to speak with a licensed insurance agent who can help you compare some of the Medicare Advantage plans that are sold in your area.
When you’re shopping for Medicare Advantage plans in Alabama, you can compare plans from several different carriers by using some of the following information:
- The Medicare Star Ratings can give you an idea of a plan’s overall quality.
- Agencies like A.M. Best, Moody’s and Standard & Poor’s can provide information about an insurance company’s credit rating and financial standing.
- Websites such as the Better Business Bureau and Consumer Reports can teach you about a company’s reputation among its customers.
- You can read through Medicare Advantage plan reviews and testimonials from customers.
