Best Medicare Advantage Plans in Illinois 2025
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More than 2.3 million people in Illinois are signed up for Medicare, making it the seventh-largest state for Medicare beneficiaries.
Medicare is the government health care program for people 65 and older. Medicare Advantage is a bundled alternative to Medicare sold by private insurance companies. It offers all the same benefits and usually some extras, such as cost help with dental and vision coverage.
Medicare Advantage plans offer more benefits than Original Medicare, and they're often cheaper than paying for Medicare and a Medicare Supplement plan, but they offer less flexibility because you’ll need to get care from within the plan’s network of providers. Weigh your options to determine what plan best suits your needs.
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Compare the best Medicare Advantage plans in Illinois
Top-rated Medicare Advantage plans in Illinois
Each year, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) awards every Medicare Advantage plan a star rating on a scale of 1 to 5, with 5 being a top-rated plan. Below are companies with plans that received top marks in Illinois for the 2025 plan year. (Check out more information about Medicare star ratings.)
4.5-star plans
There are no 5-star Medicare Advantage plans in Illinois in 2025. The companies below offer plans in Illinois that are rated 4.5 stars out of 5 by CMS:
4-star plans
The company below offers plans in Illinois that are rated 4 stars out of 5 by CMS:
Aetna.
Essence Healthcare.
Quartz Medicare Advantage.
This list doesn’t include special needs plans, which restrict membership to people with certain diseases or characteristics, such as having a chronic illness or living in a nursing home.
What to know about Medicare Advantage in Illinois
With more than 1 in 6 people in Illinois being 65 and older, the state offers a variety of Medicare and Medicare Advantage plans.
The average monthly premium in 2025 for a Medicare Advantage plan in Illinois is $8.39. (This is down from $12.01 in 2024.)
There are 157 Medicare Advantage plans available in Illinois in 2025. (This is down from 165 plans in 2024.)
All Medicare-eligible people in Illinois have access to a $0-premium Medicare Advantage plan.
Third-party ratings
In its 2024 U.S. Medicare Advantage Study — the 10th it's done so far — J.D. Power measured member satisfaction with Medicare Advantage plans based on eight factors ranging from level of trust to how well a provider resolves problems or complaints. The study was fielded in the 10 biggest Medicare markets, including Illinois.
In Illinois, only UnitedHealthcare (677 points) scored above the regional average (641 points) on measures of member satisfaction, which was based on a 1,000-point scale.
Medicare resources in Illinois
Illinois Senior Health Insurance Program: Free guidance and counseling for Medicare enrollees.
Illinois Department of Insurance: For questions about your insurance.
Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services: For questions about Medicaid benefits or eligibility.
💬 From our Nerds: What Medicare Advantage plans are rated the best in Illinois?
“Although there aren’t any 5-star plans in Illinois in 2025, you can find 4.5-star plans from Aetna, Cigna and Essence Healthcare.
“That said, not every plan from these companies gets high ratings, and even a plan with a high rating may not be the right fit for you. Compare your options and keep your doctors and prescriptions in mind.”
— Kate Ashford, lead writer covering Medicare
Find the right Medicare Advantage plan
It’s important to do your research before selecting a Medicare Advantage plan for yourself. Here are some questions to consider asking:
What are the plan’s costs? Do you understand what the plan’s premium, deductibles, copays and/or coinsurance will be? Can you afford them?
Is your doctor in-network? If you have a preferred medical provider or providers, make sure they participate in the plan’s network.
Are your prescriptions covered? If you’re on medication, it’s crucial to understand how the plan covers it. What tier are your prescription drugs on, and are there any coverage rules that apply to them?
Is there dental coverage? Does the plan offer routine coverage for vision, dental and hearing needs?
Are there extras? Does the plan offer any extra benefits, such as fitness memberships, transportation benefits or meal delivery?
Looking for more insurance in Illinois? Check out these resources:
Medicare Advantage review methodology
The Medicare Advantage marketplace is concentrated among just a handful of companies; in many places, one insurer serves more than half of the market. NerdWallet reviewed 26 Medicare Advantage brands, with some insurers having more than one brand under their umbrella. (For example, Blue Cross Blue Shield includes the brands Anthem and Highmark.) At the national level, these reviews include nine of the 10 largest brands by enrollment. At the state level, our research includes at least one major insurer in 47 of the 49 states that offer Medicare Advantage plans, and includes the top two insurers in 35 of those states. (Alaska doesn't offer Medicare Advantage plans.) We also look at online search volume to identify regional and other notable players in the space.
NerdWallet’s Medicare Advantage reviews are based on ratings data from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, as well as pricing, plan availability by state, plan types available, consumer experience, extra benefits offered and more. These reviews are a guide, but we encourage you to shop around and compare several plans to find the best coverage and rate for you. NerdWallet does not receive compensation for any reviews. Read our editorial guidelines for additional information.
This roundup includes only insurers that sell Medicare Advantage in Illinois.
