Medicare Advantage Plan Members Seek Stronger Patient Advocacy, Care Coordination

JD Power Finds Insurers Deliver on Operational Fundamentals but Struggle to Build Engagement and Trust with Medicare Advantage Members

• Overall satisfaction with Medicare Advantage plans declines for second consecutive year
• High-performing plans prioritize communication during onboarding
• Special needs plans deliver substantially stronger care coordination and better member support

TROY, Mich.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Against a backdrop of rising financial pressures, narrower access to provider networks and prescription drug and outpatient care cost increases, Medicare Advantage plan members are looking for trusted partners to guide them through their healthcare journeys. According to the JD Power 2026 U.S. Medicare Advantage Study,^SM released today, only a select few health plans are delivering that level of partnership. Nationwide, overall member satisfaction with Medicare Advantage plans declines 12 points (on a 1,000-point scale) this year, and fewer than half (43%) of plan members say they strongly agree their plan is a trusted partner in their health and wellness.

“Healthcare has grown increasingly complex and exceedingly costly, and Medicare Advantage plans are juggling these challenging market dynamics while trying to guide their members to the best outcomes,” said Meaghan Hafner, senior director of healthcare solutions at JD Power. “While some stand-out performers are driving improvements in member satisfaction despite the challenges, the majority of plans are struggling to build a strong sense of patient advocacy and trust among their members.”

Following are some key findings of the 2026 study:

• Overall satisfaction with Medicare Advantage plans declines for second consecutive year: Overall customer satisfaction with Medicare Advantage plans is 611, down 12 points from last year and down 41 points from 2024, with declines across all dimensions of the member experience. The specific study dimensions showing the largest two-year declines in member satisfaction are Helping to Save Me Time and Money (-51 points), Level of Trust (-49 points) and Product/Coverage Offerings Meet My Needs (-47 points).
• High-performing plans exceed in onboarding and communication: Two key areas where the highest-performing Medicare Advantage plans stand out are in new member onboarding and effective communication. Trust attributes rise sharply when members fully understand their plan. Among new members who say they understand their coverage very well, 34% feel their insurer helps prepare them for the unexpected, and 29% feel their insurer anticipates their needs. Among new members who say they do not understand their coverage, those rates are cut nearly half to 17% and 16%, respectively.
• Special needs plans deliver stronger levels of member satisfaction: Special needs plans, which are designed for people with specific severe or disabling chronic conditions, those who live in an institution or those who qualify for both Medicare and Medicaid, deliver significantly higher overall satisfaction and trust scores, illustrating how higher-touch support models, care coordination and personalized guidance can contribute to stronger member outcomes among populations with complex healthcare needs.

Study Rankings

Kaiser Permanente ranks highest in overall satisfaction with Medicare Advantage plans in California for a third consecutive year, with a score of 665. SCAN Health Plan (656) ranks second.

UnitedHealthcare ranks highest in overall satisfaction with Medicare Advantage plans in Florida, with a score of 621. Humana (620) ranks second and Freedom Health (619) ranks third.

UnitedHealthcare ranks highest in overall satisfaction with Medicare Advantage plans in Georgia for a third consecutive year, with a score of 656. Aetna Medicare (628) ranks second.

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois ranks highest in overall satisfaction with Medicare Advantage plans in Illinois for a second consecutive year, with a score of 638. UnitedHealthcare (629) ranks second.

Humana ranks highest in overall satisfaction with Medicare Advantage plans in Kentucky, with a score of 625. UnitedHealthcare (606) ranks second.

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan ranks highest in overall satisfaction with Medicare Advantage plans in Michigan for a second consecutive year, with a score of 676.

Excellus BlueCross BlueShield ranks highest in overall satisfaction with Medicare Advantage plans in New York for a fourth consecutive year, with a score of 618. Healthfirst (611) ranks second.

UnitedHealthcare ranks highest in overall satisfaction with Medicare Advantage plans in North Carolina for a third consecutive year, with a score of 645. Humana (637) ranks second.

Aetna Medicare ranks highest in overall satisfaction with Medicare Advantage plans in Ohio, with a score of 639.

UPMC For Life ranks highest in overall satisfaction with Medicare Advantage plans in Pennsylvania for a fourth consecutive year, with a score of 689. Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield (659) ranks second and Aetna Medicare (647) ranks third.

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Tennessee ranks highest in overall satisfaction with Medicare Advantage plans Tennessee, with a score of 690. Humana (647) ranks second.

Humana ranks highest in overall satisfaction with Medicare Advantage plans in Texas, with a score of 641. UnitedHealthcare (628) ranks second and Aetna Medicare (624) ranks third.

To view the complete visual rank charts for each region, visit: http://www.jdpower.com/pr-id/2026079.

The U.S. Medicare Advantage Study, now in its 12^th year, measures member satisfaction with Medicare Advantage plans—also known as Medicare Part C or Part D—based on eight factors (in order of importance): level of trust; able to get health services how/when I want; helping to save me time or money; product/coverage offerings meet my needs; ease of doing business; people—representatives, call center agents; resolving problems or complaints; and digital channels.

The 2026 U.S. Medicare Advantage Study is based on the responses of 14,559 members of Medicare Advantage plans in 12 market-based U.S. regions: California, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Kentucky, Michigan, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee and Texas. It was fielded from January through June 2026.

For more information about the U.S. Medicare Advantage Study, visit https://www.jdpower.com/business/u-s-medicare-advantage-study/.

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