Central Health Medicare Plan
2.5
CMS Star Rating
on NerdWallet
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The bottom line: Central Health Medicare Plan sells Medicare Advantage plans only in California. Its plans offer $0 premiums and inexpensive annual out-of-pocket caps. However, Central Health gets below-average star ratings from CMS, scoring especially poorly on measures of member experience. Jump to: Full Review
Brand New Day merges with Central Health Medicare Plan for 2025
Brand New Day, another California-only Medicare insurance company, announced that it will merge with Central Health Medicare Plan for 2025. Members of Brand New Day plans will be automatically moved into Central Health plans unless they take action.
2.5
CMS Star Rating
on NerdWallet
M-F 8am-10pm EST, Sa-Su 9am-9pm EST
$0 premiums: All of Central Health’s Medicare Advantage plans that aren’t SNPs have $0 premiums for 2025.
Low out-of-pocket maximums: The out-of-pocket spending caps for Central Health Medicare Plan are often below $3,000 per year — significantly undercutting the average for major companies.
Star ratings: Central Health Medicare Plan scores well below the industry average on star ratings from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.
Member experience: Central Health Medicare Plan gets the lowest score for CMS’ measures of member experience.
3.82
CMS Star Rating
from UnitedHealthcare
4.27
CMS Star Rating
on NerdWallet
M-F 8am-10pm EST, Sa-Su 9am-9pm EST
3.63
CMS Star Rating
from Humana
3.93
CMS Star Rating
on NerdWallet
M-F 8am-10pm EST, Sa-Su 9am-9pm EST
» More options in our roundup of the best Medicare Advantage plans
3.82
CMS Star Rating
from UnitedHealthcare
3.63
CMS Star Rating
from Humana
» More options in our roundup of the best Medicare Advantage plans
Average star rating, weighted by enrollment: 2.5
Central Health Medicare Plan Medicare Advantage plans are rated below the industry average, receiving an average rating of 2.5 stars out of 5 from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) for 2025, weighted by enrollment.
For comparison, the average weighted star rating from all providers is 3.92.
CMS maintains star ratings for Medicare Advantage plans on a 5-point scale, ranking plans from best (5 stars) to worst (1 star). The agency bases these ratings on plans’ quality of care and measurements of customer satisfaction, and ratings may change from year to year.
You can find a plan’s rating with the Medicare plan finding tool.
In 2025, all Central Health Medicare Plan Medicare Advantage prescription drug plans that aren’t special needs plans (SNPs) have a $0 premium. You'll still be responsible for paying your Medicare Part B premium, which is $174.70 per month in 2024 ($185 in 2025).
(Most people pay this standard Part B amount, but if your income is above a certain threshold, you’ll pay the income-related monthly adjustment amount (IRMAA). Some Medicare Advantage plans cover part or all of your Part B premium.)
Requirements for copays, coinsurance and deductibles vary depending on your plan, location and the services you use. Other out-of-pocket costs to consider include:
Whether the plan covers any part of your monthly Medicare Part B premium.
The plan’s yearly deductibles and any other deductibles, such as a drug deductible.
Copayments and/or coinsurance for each visit or service. For instance, there may be a $10 copay for seeing your primary doctor and a $45 copay for seeing a specialist.
The plan’s in-network and out-of-network out-of-pocket maximums.
Whether your medical providers are in-network or out-of-network, or how often you may go out of network for care.
Whether you require extra benefits, and if the plan charges for them.
To get a sense of costs, use Medicare’s plan-finding tool to compare information among available plans in your area. You can select by insurance carrier to see only Central Health plans or compare across carriers.
Central Health Medicare Plan offers Medicare Advantage prescription drug plans as well as Medicare Advantage plans without drug coverage.
Plan offerings include the following types:
Central Health Medicare Plan offers Medicare Advantage plans in California only. Central Health Medicare Plan covers about 39,000 Medicare Advantage beneficiaries.
Get more information below about some of the major Medicare Advantage providers. These insurers offer plans in most states. The plans you can choose from will depend on your ZIP code and county.
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?
2.5
CMS Star Rating
Central Health Medicare Plan offers $0 premiums and low out-of-pocket maximums in California, but its star ratings and member satisfaction scores are poor.
M-F 8am-10pm EST, Sa-Su 9am-9pm EST
Speak to a licensed insurance agent on askchapter.org
on NerdWallet
States available
1 state
Members in high-rated plans
Low (49% or less)
Member experience
1 (Below average)
States available
1 state
Members in high-rated plans
Low (49% or less)
Member experience
1 (Below average)
Pros
Cons
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.