October 15th 2024
By Ari Parker
Choose the best Montana Medicare Advantage plan based on your unique health and financial needs. Get help and enroll today!
By Ari Parker
Medicare enrollees have two main options for health insurance coverage: Original Medicare or Medicare Advantage. Each type of coverage comes with additional decisions to make. People on Original Medicare can choose to add a Medicare Supplement and/or a Medicare Part D plan. Those who choose to enroll in Medicare Advantage have dozens of plans to choose from, and there's a lot of variance between those plans.
When comparing Montana Medicare Advantage plans, it's important to first understand the pros and cons of Medicare Advantage. Once you understand the pros and cons and what to look for as you compare your options, you can narrow down your choices based on your specific needs. In this guide, we'll cover everything you need to know to choose the best Montana Medicare Advantage plan for you. We're also here to help you as needed! Give us a call at (855) 900-2427 to get help comparing plans and enrolling today.
As we mentioned above, Medicare Advantage plans vary widely. Plan availability also varies between counties. That said, the quick facts below will give you a good idea of what the Medicare Advantage landscape looks like in Montana.
About 30% of Montana Medicare enrollees are on Medicare Advantage plans, significantly less than the nationwide enrollment rate of around 54%.
There are 32 Medicare Advantage plans available in Montana for 2026, up from 27 in 2025.
97% of Medicare-eligible Montanans have access to at least one $0-premium Medicare Advantage plan.
The average monthly premium for a Montana Medicare Advantage plan is $34.16 in 2026.
Lincoln County has the highest Medicare Advantage enrollment rate in the state, at 45%.
Several counties have fewer than 5 Medicare Advantage options, and some rural counties have very limited or no options at all.
Montana's lower-than-average Medicare Advantage enrollment isn't surprising given the state's geography. Many Montanans live in rural areas where provider networks are thin, making the network restrictions of Medicare Advantage plans a bigger concern than they might be in a city. For rural residents in particular, it's worth carefully checking whether your preferred doctors and hospitals are in a plan’s network before enrolling.
Medicare Advantage plans are a popular option among Medicare beneficiaries nationwide, though they're notably less common in Montana. As an alternative to Original Medicare, they must cover at least the same things as Original Medicare. They often provide additional coverage for things like eye exams, dental care, hearing aids, and prescription drugs.
There's a reason over half of Medicare beneficiaries nationwide choose to enroll in Medicare Advantage plans. Many people are able to get a lot of value from them.
Probably the biggest reason people are attracted to Medicare Advantage plans is because they provide extra benefits that Original Medicare does not. Many seniors are frustrated by the fact that Original Medicare doesn't cover dental, vision, and hearing care. Original Medicare also doesn't cover prescriptions (although you can enroll in a separate Part D plan to get your prescriptions covered). Medicare Advantage plans may also include other benefits, including:
Gym memberships
Flex spending cards
Transportation services
Part B rebates
Coverage for acupuncture
When choosing health insurance, it's important to understand how premiums, deductibles, and coinsurance work. Your premium is what you pay every month to secure insurance. Your deductible and coinsurance then make up your out-of-pocket costs. Your deductible is how much you'll pay on healthcare costs before your insurance plan kicks in. Your coinsurance is the portion of the cost of care that you pay.
With Original Medicare, your Part A deductible is $1,736, and your Part B deductible is $283 in 2026. Your coinsurance amount is 20%, meaning Medicare pays 80% of costs and you pay the rest. With Medicare Advantage, deductibles and coinsurance amounts vary, which can make it difficult to compare options. While Medicare Advantage out-of-pocket costs can vary, these plans come with an out-of-pocket maximum that limits your total healthcare costs in a year. Once you spend up to the amount listed as your out-of-pocket limit, you'll owe nothing more for covered healthcare that year. Original Medicare has no out-of-pocket maximum (but Medigap plans can limit costs).
The majority of Montana Medicare beneficiaries are not enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan. Below are some disadvantages of Medicare Advantage plans that may cause Montana residents to stay on Original Medicare.
Medicare Advantage plans limit coverage to a local network of providers. These networks limit which doctors you can see. They may also cause delays in receiving care if you have a difficult time finding a new doctor who's in network and accepting new patients. Conversely, Original Medicare doesn't have network limitations. With Original Medicare, you can see any doctor who accepts Medicare, which is the vast majority of doctors nationwide. This is especially relevant in Montana, where provider networks in rural areas can be limited.
Original Medicare doesn't require prior authorization, which means you can get the treatments you need when your doctor recommends them. Medicare Advantage plans have become notorious for frequently requiring and denying prior authorization. This has caused many nightmares among Medicare Advantage enrollees.
Most people will enroll in a Medicare Advantage plan when they first get Original Medicare or during the Medicare Open Enrollment Period. The Medicare Open Enrollment Period occurs every year from October 15 through December 7. It's a good opportunity to enroll in Medicare Advantage or switch between Medicare Advantage plans. You are also able to switch from Medicare Advantage back to Original Medicare during this time.
Every year, Medicare Advantage plans are assigned a star rating from 1 to 5 by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. A 1-star rating is given to low-quality plans, and a 5-star rating is given to the highest-quality plans. Below are the main carriers offering Medicare Advantage plans in Montana for 2026.
Humana is the highest-rated Medicare Advantage carrier in Montana for 2026. It is the only company in the state with plans rated 4.5 stars out of 5. No carrier in Montana holds a 5-star or 4-star rating for 2026. Humana offers both HMO and PPO plans in Montana.
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Montana (BCBS MT) is the largest and longest-standing insurer in the state, with Medicare Advantage coverage available across 39 of Montana's 56 counties for 2026. BCBSMT plans are predominantly PPOs, giving members the flexibility to see both in-network and out-of-network providers.
UnitedHealthcare offers Medicare Advantage plans in select Montana counties. As one of the largest Medicare Advantage carriers nationally, UnitedHealthcare brings a broad pharmacy network and robust extra benefits to its plans, though availability in rural Montana counties can be limited.
PacificSource is a regional carrier that offers Medicare Advantage plans in parts of Montana. It's a strong option for some western Montana counties and is worth considering if it's available in your area.
Keep in mind that star ratings are one useful signal, but the plan with the best rating may not be the best plan for you. Availability, your specific doctors and prescriptions, and out-of-pocket costs all matter more in practice.
The best Medicare Advantage plan for you depends on your unique health and financial situation. Every plan has different premiums, deductibles, coinsurance, networks, and extra benefits. You should choose the one that covers your doctors and prescriptions while saving you the most money!
Whether you really like your doctors or don't want to worry about finding a new doctor in a plan's network, you should make note of the doctors you want to keep seeing. Your Chapter Medicare agent will help you sort through plans to choose from only those that have your doctors in network.
Most Medicare Advantage plans come with prescription drug coverage. If the plans you're considering include prescription coverage, you need to make sure your specific prescriptions are covered. Every health plan that has prescription coverage will provide a list of covered drugs as well as details about the coinsurance or copay you'll owe for those prescriptions.
Many people choose to enroll in Medicare Advantage because of the extra benefits. Whether you want to get some cash back through a grocery benefit or OTC card or you want additional coverage for dental, vision, and hearing services, make a list of extra benefits you're interested in. Once you've narrowed your list of Montana Medicare Advantage plans down to those that cover your doctors and prescriptions, you can make the most of these extra benefits.
Choosing among the Medicare Advantage plans in Montana can feel overwhelming. Especially if you have multiple doctors and prescriptions that you need to be sure are covered, comparing costs and benefits can take hours. That's why we're here to help answer your Medicare questions and get you enrolled in the best plan for your needs. Give us a call at (855) 900-2427 or schedule a time to talk to get Medicare checked off your list today!
Sources
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Montana. (2025). BCBSMT Offers Medicare Advantage Plans in Most of Montana in 2026. https://www.bcbsmt.com/newsroom/news-releases/2025/medicare-advantage-plans-2026
KFF. (2024). Medicare Advantage in 2024: Enrollment Update and Key Trends. https://www.kff.org/medicare/issue-brief/medicare-advantage-in-2024-enrollment-update-and-key-trends/
Last updated March 13, 2026
