The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services' annual Medicare plan fact sheet emphasized that, "[t]he Medicare Advantage program continues to provide people with Medicare with ample choices and stable premiums and benefit offerings in 2025."

Consistent with the CMS fact sheet, our Q1Medicare analysis of 2025 Medicare Advantage plan data shows a slight 3% decrease in the total number of 2025 Medicare Advantage plans as compared to 2024 with the number of 2025 Medicare Advantage plans (combined MAs and MAPDs) decreasing to 5,218**, as compared to 5,377** Medicare Advantage plans offered nationwide in 2024.

However, as shown further down the page, the number of 2025 Local PPO Medicare Advantage plans (MA-only, without drug coverage) did increase.




**Why our numbers can vary slightly from the number of Medicare Advantage plans reported by Medicare.

Medicare Advantage plans can be defined by three numbers: (Contract_ID, Plan_ID, Segment_ID) and may appear on your plan documents as "H1234-001-001".  In the analysis of the total number of Medicare Advantage plans, we look only to a Plan_ID level. 

Therefore, the number of Medicare Advantage plans that we report can be slightly different than the number of Medicare Advantage plans reported by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).

Jump to 2022 - 2025 MAPD Plan chart
Jump to 2022 - 2025 MA Plan chart
Jump to Health Plan Type definitions

A brief review of Medicare Advantage plans

Medicare Advantage plans come in two general forms (with or without drug coverage),

(1)  MAs or Medicare Advantage plans that do not include prescription drug coverage and
(2)  MAPDs or Medicare Advantage plan that includes prescription drug coverage.

What is included in a Medicare Advantage plan?

A Medicare Advantage plan (MA or MAPD) includes your Medicare Part A (in-patient and hospitalization coverage), Medicare Part B (out-patient and physician coverage), may include additional or supplemental healthcare benefits (basic dental, optical, hearing, and/or fitness coverage), and supplemental non-health related benefits (limited food delivery and general transportation).

As noted, a MAPD also includes your Medicare Part D drug coverage.

If you enroll in some types of Medicare Advantage plans (MAs) that do not include drug coverage, you may not be permitted to also join a stand-alone Medicare Part D plan (PDP) (so be sure to check before you join).

You can join a Medicare Advantage plan even with pre-existing health conditions.

Since 2021, you can join a Medicare Advantage plan without any pre-existing health questions, so even if you are a Medicare beneficiary suffering from End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD), you can join any Medicare Advantage plan available in your area.  This "guaranteed issue" rule also applies to employer/union Medicare plans (EGHP), but, depending on your state, may not include Medicare Advantage Dual-Eligible Special Needs Plans (D-SNPs) and Medicare-Medicaid Plans (MMPs).  Learn more about joining a Medicare Advantage plan with ESRD.

Here are a few additional facts about the 2025 Medicare Advantage plan landscape:

• Most 2025 Medicare Advantage plans provide Part D prescription drug coverage (MAPDs)
  
  There are 159 fewer Medicare Advantage MAPD options available in 2025 as compared to 2024.  Similar to 2024, 91% of all 2025 Medicare Advantage plans include prescription drug coverage (MAPDs).  Note the 15% decrease in Preferred Provider Organization (PPO) MAPD options for 2025 - with a slight decline in all other types of Medicare Advantage plans except MSAs which remained the same.
  
  
  
  
  
  

  Change in the Number of MAPD plans
  	Number of Medicare Advantage plans with Drug Coverage
  Health Plan Type	2025	Change '24 to '25	2024	Change '23 to '24	2023	Change '22 to '23	2022
  Cost	12	0	12	0	12	-1	13
  Local HMO	3,065	-59	3,124	-75	3,199	114	3,085
  Local PPO	1,610	-84	1,694	92	1,602	204	1,398
  Regional PPO	33	-8	41	-1	42	-1	43
  PFFS	12	-2	14	-3	17	-2	19
  MMP	27	-1	28	0	28	-15	43
  Total MAPD Plans	4,759	-154	4,913	13	4,900	299	4,601

  
  
  
• Slightly fewer 2025 Medicare Advantage plan options that do not include drug coverage (MAs)
  
  There are five (5) fewer 2025 Medicare Advantage plans without prescription coverage (MA) as compared to 2024. In fact, as compared to the 4,759 Medicare Advantage plans that provide prescription drug coverage (MAPDs) in 2025, there are only 459 different 2025 MAs - or Medicare Advantage plans that offer health coverage only (no prescription drug coverage).
  
  
  
  
  
  

  Change in the Number of Medicare Advantage plans without Drug Coverage (MAs)
  	Number of MA Plans
  Health Plan Type	2025	Change '24 to '25	2024	Change '23 to '24	2023	Change '22 to '23	2022
  Cost	38	-7	45	-2	47	-4	51
  Local HMO	170	-17	187	-12	199	7	192
  Local PPO	223	20	203	13	190	42	148
  Regional PPO	18	-1	19	0	19	0	19
  MSA	1	0	1	-2	3	-8	11
  PFFS	9	0	9	-2	11	0	11
  Total MA Plans w/o Rx Cov.	459	-5	464	-5	469	37	432

  
  
  
• Fewer Medicare Advantage Health Maintenance Organization (HMO) options are offered in 2025
  
  The majority (almost 62%) of 2025 Medicare Advantage plans will be HMOs (Health Maintenance Organizations) with a 2.3% decrease in the number of 2025 HMO plans over 2024.
  
  Members of a Medicare Advantage HMOs (MA-only) are not permitted to enroll in a stand-alone Medicare Part D plan (PDP) and will need another source for their drug coverage (such as employer/union drug coverage or VA drug coverage).
  
  
  
• Fewer Local Medicare Advantage Preferred Provider Organizations (PPOs) in 2025
  
  There will be almost a 3.4% decrease in 2025 Medicare Advantage Local PPOs (Preferred Provider Organizations) plans as compared to 2024.
  
  Members of a Medicare Advantage PPOs (MA-only) are not permitted to enroll in a stand-alone Medicare Part D plan (PDP) and will need another source for their drug coverage.
  
  
  
• The declining Medicare Advantage Private Fee-for-Service (PFFS) plan offerings
  
  The number of Medicare Advantage Private Fee-for-Service (PFFS) plans continues to decline in 2025 - with only 21 PFFS plans available.  As a note, PFFS plans have continued to decrease since 2015 when the number of Medicare Advantage PFFS (MA and MAPD) plans decreased by 43%. 
  
  Members of a Medicare Advantage PFFS (MA-only) can enroll in any available stand-alone Medicare Part D plan (PDP) for their drug coverage.
  
  
  
• Only one (1) 2025 Medical Savings Account (MSA) is offered.
  
  Unlike other Medicare Advantage (MA) plans, MSAs are made up of a high-deductible health plan and a medical savings account funded by an annual tax-free deposit. MSA members can use the medical savings account to pay for healthcare costs before the health plan deductible is met.
  
  In the chart above, we see that there is only one (1) Medicare Medical Savings Account (MSA) being offered in 2025 (down from three (3) MSAs available in 2023 and 11 MSAs in 2022).
  
  Based on the current data available from CMS, this one MSA continues to only be available to residents of Wisconsin.  As a comparison, in 2023 MSAs are available in 37 states (2,313 counties) across the country - serving millions of Medicare beneficiaries.
  
  MSA members can enroll in any available stand-alone Medicare Part D plan (PDP) for their drug coverage.

Reminder: Different types of Medicare Advantage plans provide different coverage

As you browse through the 2025 Medicare Advantage plans, you will see that there are seven common types of Medicare Advantage plans offered.

• HMO - Health Maintenance Organization plans
  
  HMOs are wellness-based Medicare Advantage plans and usually have the most-restrictive healthcare provider network, meaning that your healthcare costs may be considerably higher if you go outside of your plan’s established network.  Also, depending on your HMO plan, you may only have access to health services outside of your plan network with a referral from your doctor.  Local HMOs are often very affordable compared to other Medicare Advantage plans because of the restrictive network and their focus on wellness helps to control healthcare costs.  The majority of 2025 Medicare Advantage plans will be HMOs (Health Maintenance Organizations).
   
• HMO POS - Health Maintenance Organization with Point-of-Service option plans
  
  These Medicare Advantage HMO’s have a more flexible healthcare network allowing you to seek care outside of your plan’s network by paying a higher cost-sharing rate.  An HMO-POS is often chosen by people who travel part of the year, but still return home for the majority of their healthcare needs.  Again, expect out-of-network healthcare costs to be more than in-network.  For instance, you may have a $30 copayment when you visit a healthcare provider in-network (at home) and pay $60 when you visit a provider outside of the plan’s network (while traveling).
  
  Important: Be sure to read your Annual Notice of Change (ANOC) letter carefully to be sure that you still have your POS option.  In past years, some HMO-POS plans "crosswalked" or moved members to an HMO (without the POS option). 
  
  Please also note, depending on your HMO-POS plan, you may find that out-of-network costs do not count toward your Maximum Out of Pocket (MOOP) limit or you may have a much higher out-of-network MOOP — check with your plan's Member Services department for more details.
   
• PPO - Preferred Provider Organization plans
  
  Medicare Advantage PPOs have a less-restrictive provider network, but again, you probably will pay a higher cost-sharing rate when you visit a healthcare provider outside of your plan’s network.
   
• PFFS - Private Fee for Service plans
  
  Although very popular (and affordable) several years ago, only a few Medicare Advantage PFFS plans are now available (only 21 PFFS plans are available in 2025).  PFFS plans have the most flexible network, meaning that you can go to any healthcare provider as long as the provider accepts Medicare and the terms and conditions of your PFFS plan.  As noted, although PFFS plans will be offered in only isolated areas, some people may still find PFFS plans a flexible and economical alternative to other Medicare Advantage plans.  If you choose a PFFS plan that does not include prescription drug coverage, you have the option to join a separate stand-alone Medicare Part D plan (PDP).
  
  
• SNP - Special Needs plans
  
  SNPs are Medicare Advantage plans designed for a people with specific conditions or financial needs.  Certain SNPs are available only to diabetics, people with chronic cardiac conditions, nursing home residents, or people dual eligible for both Medicare and Medicaid (D-SNPs).  If you do not meet the plan’s “special need”, you will not be permitted to join the Special Needs plan.  In a separate article, "Changes in the national Special Needs Plan (SNP) landscape result in slightly more 2024 SNP options and wider availability", we look closer at the 2024 SNPs (Q1News.com/1022).
   
• MSA - Medical Savings Account plans
  
  MSAs are like Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) — a high-deductible health plan combined with a medical spending account that you can use to pay for your health care costs.  MSAs do not provide prescription drug coverage and you would need to join a separate stand-alone Medicare Part D plan (PDP) if you need drug coverage.  Based on the current CMS data, only residents in Wisconsin will have access to MSA plans in 2025.
  
  
• MMP - Medicare-Medicaid Plans
  
  MMP plans were introduced in 2014 and are only offered in 233 counties across eight (8) states.  As noted by CMS: "A Medicare-Medicaid Plan (MMP) [like a D-SNP] is a private health plan that has been competitively selected and approved to provide integrated care to eligible full-benefit Medicare-Medicaid enrollees under the CMS Financial Alignment Demonstration." (CMS, “Financial Alignment Initiative,”
  (https://www.cms.gov/Medicare-Medicaid-Coordination/Medicare-and-Medicaid-Coordination/Medicare-Medicaid-Coordination-Office/FinancialAlignmentInitiative/FinancialModelstoSupportStatesEffortsinCareCoordination.html.)
   
  MMPs only serve full-benefit dual-eligible (Medicare/Medicaid) beneficiaries and some additional limitations may apply.
  

The 2025 Medicare Advantage plan information in each county (or ZIP code) is available in our 2025 Medicare Advantage plan finder (MA-Finder) that can be found at: MA-Finder.com/2025.  We will continue to add new coverage information as the data is released from CMS.  The graphic below is an example of a search representing the various Medicare Advantage coverage information that can be found on Q1Medicare - clicking on the plan name will then lead to more specific coverage details for the chosen plan.


You can also see how each 2024 Medicare Advantage plan is changing in 2025 using our Medicare Advantage comparison tool found at: MA-Compare.com/2025 - information includes Medicare Advantage plans entering and leaving the ZIP code area.  Below is an older graphic showing Medicare Advantage plan changes between 2019 and 2020.


Reminder: October 15th starts the annual Open Enrollment Period.

The annual Medicare Open Enrollment Period (or Annual Coordinated Election Period - AEP) for 2025 Medicare Part D plans and Medicare Advantage plans begins on October 15th and continues through December 7th, with 2025 Medicare plan coverage beginning on January 1, 2025.

In addition, members of Medicare Advantage plans are given a second annual enrollment period once the new plan years begins.  The annual Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period (MA-OEP) begins on January 1st and continues through March 31st.  During the MA-OEP,  current members of 2025 Medicare Advantage plans can change to a different 2025 Medicare Advantage plan or return to Original Medicare and enroll in a stand-alone Medicare Part D plan (PDP), with their new 2025 Medicare plan coverage beginning on the first day of the month following their enrollment.

For more information, you can telephone Medicare at 1-800-633-4227 to speak with a Medicare representative.