Information about Medicare Advantage Plans in Idaho

Quick links:

• Average 2023 Costs
• Eligibility & Enrollment
• Finding Top-Rated Plans
• List of Plans Available
  • Plans by Carrier
  • Plans by County
  • Plans by Type
• Local Resources

There are 289 different Idaho Medicare Advantage (Medicare Part C) plans available in 2023.¹ Not every plan is available in each county, so it's important to find out which ones are offered where you live.

A licensed insurance agent can help you compare the availability, benefits and costs of Medicare Advantage plans in your area of Idaho. Read below to learn more about Medicare in your state.

Average costs of Medicare Advantage in Idaho

The average premium for a 2023 Medicare Advantage plan with prescription drug coverage in Idaho is $22.51 per month, and you may be able to find plans where you live that feature $0 premiums.¹ The average medical deductible for these plans is just $35.53 per year.¹

Individual plan premiums, deductibles and out-of-pocket costs may vary greatly depending on where you live and the plan you have. A licensed insurance agent can help you compare Medicare Advantage plan costs in your area.

Or call 1-800-557-6059 1-800-557-6059 TTY Users: 711 to speak with a licensed insurance agent. We accept calls 24/7!

Medicare Eligibility & Enrollment

If you want to enroll in Medicare Advantage in Idaho, you must first be enrolled in Medicare Part A and Part B, often referred to as Original Medicare.

To be eligible for Original Medicare at age 65, you must meet the following requirements:

• You must be a U.S. citizen or permanent legal resident who has lived in the U.S. for five continuous years.
  
  
• You or your spouse must have worked long enough to be eligible for Social Security or Railroad Retirement benefits.
  
  
• You or your spouse must be government employees or retirees who have not paid into Social Security but have paid Medicare payroll taxes.

You may also be eligible for Medicare benefits under 65 if:

• You have been receiving Social Security disability benefits or certain Railroad Retirement Board disability benefits for at least 24 months.
  
  
• You have ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or Lou Gehrig's disease).
  
  
• You have End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD), and you or your spouse have paid Social Security taxes for a certain length of time.

If you have ESRD, you may be able to enroll in a Medicare Advantage plan or a Idaho Medicare Special Needs Plan (SNP) that is specifically designed to help meet your health care needs.

How to sign up for a Medicare Advantage Plan in Idaho

The first time you may be able to enroll in a Idaho Medicare Part C plan is during your Medicare Initial Enrollment Period (IEP).

Your Medicare IEP starts three months before your 65^th birthday. It includes the month of your 65^th birthday and then continues for another three months after your birthday.

Additional times at which you may sign up for a Medicare Advantage plan include:

Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period: January 1 – March 31

If you're already enrolled in a Part C plan, from January 1 to March 31 every year, you may switch Medicare Advantage plans or drop your Medicare Advantage plan and return to Original Medicare.

If you return to Original Medicare during this period, you'll be able to join a Medicare standalone prescription drug plan (Medicare Part D).

Fall Medicare Open Enrollment Period (AEP): October 15 – December 7

From October 15 to December 7 every year, you may enroll in a Medicare Advantage plan or switch from one Medicare Advantage plan to another.

You may also drop your existing Medicare Advantage plan and return to Original Medicare.

During the fall open enrollment period, also called the Annual Enrollment Period or AEP, you may also join, switch or drop a Medicare Part D plan. 

Medicare Special Enrollment Periods (SEP)

You may potentially be granted a Medicare Special Enrollment Period (SEP) at any time throughout the year for qualifying circumstances.

A licensed insurance agent can help you find out if you qualify for a Medicare Special Enrollment Period.

Or call 1-800-557-6059 1-800-557-6059 TTY Users: 711 to speak with a licensed insurance agent. We accept calls 24/7!

Top-rated Medicare Advantage Plans in Idaho 2023

Each year, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issues Star Ratings for all Medicare Advantage plans using a system of one to five stars.

In order for a Medicare Advantage plan to be considered a top-rated plan, it must have four or more stars out of five stars.

38.3% of the 2023 Medicare Advantage plans with prescription drug coverage in Idaho are rated four stars or higher.²

Medicare Advantage plans are rated in the following five categories:

• Preventive care and health maintenance (screenings, tests, vaccines, etc.)
• Management of chronic conditions
• Member experiences and ratings of the plan
• Member complaints, problems receiving services and member retention
• Customer service

The information for the star ratings is gathered from information that is submitted to Medicare, Medicare’s regular monitoring activities and member surveys.

List of Medicare Advantage Plans Available in Idaho in 2023

To view a list of plans offered in your area within Idaho, use our plan comparison tool.

Or call 1-800-557-6059 1-800-557-6059 TTY Users: 711 to speak with a licensed insurance agent. We accept calls 24/7!

Private insurance companies offer Medicare Advantage plans in Idaho

Multiple insurance carriers may offer Medicare Advantage plans in Idaho, depending on where you live.

Private insurance companies offer Medicare Advantage plans that may be unique to the plan area they serve.

Call to speak with a licensed insurance agent who can help you compare the Medicare Advantage plans that are sold by insurance companies in your area.

When you’re shopping for Medicare Advantage plans in Idaho, you can compare plans from several different carriers by using some of the following information:

• The Medicare Star Ratings can give you an idea of a plan’s overall quality.
  
  
• Agencies like A.M. Best, Moody’s and Standard & Poor’s can provide information about an insurance company’s credit rating and financial standing.
  
  
• Websites such as the Better Business Bureau and Consumer Reports can teach you about a company’s reputation among its customers.
  
  
• You can read through Medicare Advantage plan reviews and testimonials from customers.

Idaho Medicare Advantage plans by county

Learn more about 2023 Idaho Medicare Advantage plans by county.

• Ada County Medicare Advantage Plans
• Bannock County Medicare Advantage Plans
• Bear Lake County Medicare Advantage Plans
• Benewah County Medicare Advantage Plans
• Bingham County Medicare Advantage Plans
• Blaine County Medicare Advantage Plans
• Boise County Medicare Advantage Plans
• Bonner County Medicare Advantage Plans
• Bonneville County Medicare Advantage Plans
• Boundary County Medicare Advantage Plans
• Butte County Medicare Advantage Plans
• Camas County Medicare Advantage Plans
• Canyon County Medicare Advantage Plans
• Caribou County Medicare Advantage Plans
• Cassia County Medicare Advantage Plans
• Clark County Medicare Advantage Plans
• Clearwater County Medicare Advantage Plans
• Custer County Medicare Advantage Plans
• Elmore County Medicare Advantage Plans
• Franklin County Medicare Advantage Plans
• Fremont County Medicare Advantage Plans
• Gem County Medicare Advantage Plans
• Gooding County Medicare Advantage Plans
• Idaho County Medicare Advantage Plans
• Jerome County Medicare Advantage Plans
• Kootenai County Medicare Advantage Plans
• Latah County Medicare Advantage Plans
• Lemhi County Medicare Advantage Plans
• Lewis County Medicare Advantage Plans
• Lincoln County Medicare Advantage Plans
• Madison County Medicare Advantage Plans
• Minidoka County Medicare Advantage Plans
• Nez Perce County Medicare Advantage Plans
• Oneida County Medicare Advantage Plans
• Owyhee County Medicare Advantage Plans
• Payette County Medicare Advantage Plans
• Power County Medicare Advantage Plans
• Shoshone County Medicare Advantage Plans
• Teton County Medicare Advantage Plans
• Twin Falls County Medicare Advantage Plans
• Valley County Medicare Advantage Plans
• Washington County Medicare Advantage Plans

ID Medicare Advantage plans by plan type

The major types of Medicare Advantage plans include:

• HMO
  A Health Maintenance Organization (HMO) usually requires patients to use health care providers and pharmacies that are part of the plan’s network (except in the case of emergencies) while also typically requiring a referral from a primary care doctor in order to see a specialist.
  
  
• PPO
  Medicare Advantage beneficiaries in a Preferred Provider Organization (PPO) are able to see providers outside of their plan’s network, often at a higher cost.
  
  Beneficiaries in this type of plan typically pay less out of pocket if they choose to receive medical services from providers within their plan’s network.
  
  PPO plans typically do not require patients to acquire a referral before visiting with a specialist.
  
  
• PFFS
  A Private Fee-For-Service (PFFS) plan determines how much it will pay to health care providers and how much the patient will pay when care is received.
  
  With a PFFS plan, you can typically receive care from any doctor, hospital or health care provider that accepts your plan’s terms. Not all providers will accept these terms, however.
  
  
• SNP
  A Special Needs Plan (SNP) is a type of Medicare Advantage plan limited to people with certain chronic conditions and other specific characteristics.
  
  Typically, you must receive care from health care providers and hospitals within your SNP network, except for in cases when you need emergency or urgent care and when someone who has End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) needs out-of-area kidney dialysis.

Not all of these types of plans may be available in your area. A licensed insurance agent can help you compare the types of 2023 Idaho Medicare Advantage plans that are available where you live.

Local health insurance resources in Idaho

• Senior Health Insurance Benefits Advisors is a state program offering free information, counseling and assistance for beneficiaries of Medicare and other senior health insurance programs.
  
  SHIBA is made up of trained volunteers and can be reached at 800-247-4422. 
  
  
• You can also explore more information about the insurance industry in Idaho by visiting the state’s Department of Insurance website.
  
  
• Idaho Prescription Drug Assistance Programs
  The state of Idaho has a number of programs designed to help with the cost of prescription drugs. There are programs for both Medicare beneficiaries and non-Medicare beneficiaries alike that can cover the cost of premiums and cost-sharing or even lower the cost of the drugs themselves.

¹ MedicareAdvantage.com's The Best States for Medicare report.

² Medicare evaluates plans based on a 5-star rating system.