Kaiser Permanente and UnitedHealthcare MA plans Rank Highest in Overall Satisfaction
Kaiser Permanente in California and UnitedHealthcare in Florida ranked first and second, respectively, on overall satisfaction with Medicare Advantage members, with Humana following close behind, according to a JD Powers ranking of MA plans.
Overall satisfaction with Medicare Advantage plans declined for a second consecutive year, the report said. Nationwide, overall member satisfaction with Medicare Advantage plans declined 12 points from last year and is down 41 points from 2024.
Medicare Advantage plan members are looking for trusted partners, and this is where MA plans fall short. Only a select few health plans are delivering that level of partnership, according to the JD Power 2026 U.S. Medicare Advantage Study.
Fewer than half (43%) of plan members said they strongly agreed their plan was a trusted partner in their health and wellness. Plans considered high-performing prioritize communication during onboarding as trust attributes rise sharply when members fully understand their plan, the report said.
Special needs plans also got high marks as they deliver stronger care coordination and better member support. Members who qualify for both Medicare and Medicaid gave significantly higher overall satisfaction and trust scores, illustrating how higher-touch support models, care coordination and personalized guidance can contribute to stronger member outcomes, the report said.
Among new members who said they understood their coverage very well, 34% felt their insurer helped to prepare them for the unexpected, and 29% felt their insurer anticipated their needs. Among new members who said they did not understand their coverage, those rates were cut nearly half to 17% and 16%, respectively.
Plans are up against rising financial pressures, narrower access to provider networks, and prescription drug and outpatient care cost increases.
"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."
THE LARGER TREND
In another study looking at how seniors use AI to choose their Medicare Advantage plan, UnitedHealthcare ranked first in online visibility, according to a report from 5WPR.
UnitedHealthcare and Humana, which make up close to half of the MA market in the country, came in first and second, respectively.
Kaiser Permanente ranked third, despite having a smaller geographic footprint, based on AI answers retrieved from consumer-satisfaction coverage, at which Kaiser excels, the report said.
"There is a completely new way of searching that happens today," said Ronn Torossian, founder and chairman of 5WPR. "We believe up to 50% of searches are now taking place in various search engines."
Senior citizens are asking ChatGPT for information on the best MA plan, even before they ask a broker, Torossian said.