Best States for Affordable Medicare Plans: 2024 Medicare Advantage Premiums by State

• The average premium for a Medicare Advantage (Medicare Part C) plan that includes prescription drug coverage is $14.14 per month. The average deductible for medical care is $91.17 in 2024.
  
  
• Private Medicare plan premiums, deductibles and availability can vary widely by state and even by county. Nevada, Florida, Louisiana, Texas, Alabama, Nebraska and Arizona rank among the most affordable states for Medicare Advantage average premiums in 2024.
  
  
• In 2024, no Medicare Advantage plan may have a maximum out-of-pocket spending limit for in-network care that is greater than $8,850. Most plans use a limit that is less than that amount. The average max out-of-pocket (MOOP) spending limit for Medicare Advantage Prescription Drug (MA-PD) plans in 2024 is $5,513.24.

Medicare Advantage Prescription Drug plan premiums, deductibles and other plan data for 2024 were recently published by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), and two broad takeaways are clear:

• Plans continue to become more affordable each year, with the average 2024 premium dropping to $14.14 per month, down from the average 2023 premium.
  
  
• Affordability varies greatly by state, ranging from an average premium of just $2.82 per month in Nevada to $48.44 per month in Montana. 

Medicare Advantage (Medicare Part C) plans are private insurance plans that serve as alternatives to federally funded Original Medicare (Medicare Part A and Part B).

Medicare Advantage plans replace Original Medicare, covering Part A and Part B benefits in one plan. Medicare Advantage plans may also typically offer a range of benefits not covered by Original Medicare such as dental, vision and hearing care.

Around nine out of 10 Medicare Advantage plans also included prescription drug coverage in 2023. These types of plans are known as Medicare Advantage Prescription Drug, or MA-PD, plans. 

The table below illustrates the average monthly premium for a 2024 Medicare Advantage Prescription Drug plan in each state, while also illustrating the average medical deductible and average in-network out-of-pocket annual spending limit (max out-of-pocket) of plans available within the state.

Alaska is not included in this list, as individual Medicare Advantage plans (not employer-provided) aren't currently available in the state.

There are 9 states where the average monthly premium for 2024 Medicare Advantage Prescription Drug plans is less than $10 per month.

Considering average monthly premiums and average medical deductibles, Medicare Advantage plans with Prescription Drug coverage are the most affordable in:

• Nevada ($40.79 average medical deductible; $2.82 average premium)
  
  
• Florida ($54.22 average medical deductible; $3.39 average premium)
  
  
• Louisiana ($29.40 average medical deductible; $6.17 average premium)

Texas ($112.33 average medical deductible; $6.18 average premium) and Alabama ($77.22 average medical deductible; $8.79average premium) also rank among the most affordable states for MA-PD coverage.

At the other end of the scale:

• Montana is home to plans with the thid-highest average medical deductible for 2024 plans, at $260.83. The average Medicare Advantage plan premium in Montana is $48.44 per month in 2024, the highest in the nation. 
  
  
• North Dakota plans have the highest average medical deductible in 2024 ($311) and the second-highest average monthly premium, at $46.21 per month. 

There are 28 states in which the average monthly premium for a 2024 Medicare Advantage plan is higher than the national average. 

Medicare Advantage has continued to soar in popularity since it was first introduced to the market nearly 20 years ago. Over half of the nation’s 66 million Medicare beneficiaries are enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan today.

Much of the popularity of Medicare Advantage (otherwise known as Medicare Part C) may be attributed to the low monthly premiums offered by many plans.

While the cost of health insurance seems to rise every year, Medicare Advantage premiums have gone against the grain and have decreased in price every year since 2015 and have been cut by more than half since 2010. 

Medicare beneficiaries across the nation look forward to the fall Medicare open enrollment period each year. For many beneficiaries, this is the only time of year they can compare local plan options and make changes to their Medicare insurance coverage.

The fall open enrollment period takes place from October 15 to December 7 each year. Coverage for plans purchased during 2023 open enrollment take effect on January 1, 2024.

We analyzed 2024 Medicare Advantage Prescription Drug plan cost details provided by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and insurance plan providers through Sun Fire Inc.

Average premiums, deductibles and max out-of-pocket spending limits are not weighted by enrollment.

View more of our research and reports.