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Medicare Advantage plans are an alternative to Original Medicare for beneficiaries in Colorado. Offered by private health insurers, Medicare Advantage plans offer medical coverage found in Original Medicare but also typically provide enhanced benefits not in Original Medicare. But how do you discover the best Medicare Advantage plan for you?
To aid in your search for the best Medicare Advantage plan, we analyzed 98 plans in Colorado. We reviewed premiums, quality ratings from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, out-of-pocket costs, deductibles and more to identify the top plans in Colorado.
Compare the Best Medicare Advantage Providers and Plans in Colorado
Forbes Advisor research: Star ratings based on CMS star ratings, availability, enrollment and aggregate plan performance metrics.
Top-Rated Medicare Advantage Plans in Colorado
We analyzed key metrics for Medicare Advantage (Part C) and Part D prescription drug plans to determine the best options for you in Colorado. We researched core features of Advantage plans, such as availability, maximum out-of-pocket costs and CMS star ratings. Medicare Part D plans were primarily scored on premiums, deductibles and CMS star ratings.
The following plans available in Colorado in 2025 earned top scores in our analysis.
5-star plans
4.5- to 4.9-star plans
See all Medicare Advantage Providers in Colorado
Medicare Resources in Colorado
If you live in Colorado and are looking for additional information about Medicare plans available and assistance with selecting the best coverage for your health care needs and budget, here are a few resources to help you get started.
- Colorado State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP): A part of the Division of Insurance, Colorado SHIP provides Medicare-eligible residents with free, unbiased and individualized information regarding their coverage options and has 17 local locations throughout the state.
- Senior Medicare Patrol: Also part of the Division of Insurance, this program helps Medicare beneficiaries, their family members and their caregivers identify and prevent Medicare fraud and abuse.
- Health First Colorado: Low-income Medicare-eligible residents may also benefit from the resources available on the state Medicaid program’s website.
While not exclusive to the state of Colorado, Medicare.gov and CMS’s website are two more tools for learning about the various components of Medicare coverage you may find helpful. You can also search for plans available in your ZIP code and compare options via Medicare.gov’s plan finder tool.
How To Find The Best Medicare Advantage Plan in Colorado
With that snapshot of your state’s Medicare Advantage coverage in mind, it’s time to consider the details involved in identifying the best plan for you, from in-network hospitals and providers to drug formularies and deductibles. For those approaching the age of 65, navigating another qualifying event or looking to review their plan options ahead of open enrollment, here’s a checklist to help simplify Medicare enrollment.
1. Visit Medicare.gov
Read the expert explainers on the parts of Medicare, how it works, what it covers and what it costs.
2. Use Medicare.gov’s Plan Comparison Tool
See how many plans are available to you based on your location.
3. Search by Hospital
Enter your preferred hospital network information to further narrow your list of plan options.
4. Search by Physician(s)
Enter your preferred physician information to refine your list of plan options again.
5. Search by Prescription Drug(s)
Enter the prescription drug(s)—and doses—you currently take to see which drug formularies will give you the most cost-effective coverage of your medications.
6. Consider Your Expected Utilization
Think you’ll use your benefits often? Prioritize plans with lower out-of-pocket maximums and higher monthly premiums. Otherwise, focus on plans with high out-of-pocket maximums, low copays and high deductibles.
7. Browse Additional Coverage
Compare your final plan options based on other included health care benefits, such as dental, vision, hearing, over-the-counter or transportation coverage, to identify the best plan for you.
Methodology
To identify the best Medicare Advantage plans and Part D in Colorado we scored plan features, costs and availability as follows:
Medicare Advantage (Part C) Core (65% of score):
- Premium: 10%
- Maximum out-of-pocket cost: 25%
- Part C CMS star rating: 20%
- Enrollment share: 5%
- County coverage: 5%
Medicare Part D Block (25% of score):
- Part D premium: 8%
- Part D deductible: 8%
- Part D CMS star rating: 8%
- Is enhanced drug benefit: 1%
- Has zero-deductible drug tiers: Bonus 2%
Derived Overlays (10% of score):
- Maximum out-of-pocket efficiency: 7.5%
- Quality-per-dollar: 2.5%
Zero-Deductible Drug Tiers and Simplicity Bonus (2% of score):
Additionally we made the following two metrics bonus metrics:
- Has Zero-Deductible Drug Tiers was adjusted because this metric only applies to Part D plans which utilize a tiered pricing structure for drug payments. Since not all Part D plans utilize this structure, we didn’t want to penalize those that did not, but we felt this was a metric worth rewarding, so we made it a bonus
- Simplicity – We are not penalizing Part C plans for not including Part D, so adjusted this to a simple bonus instead.
Best Medicare Advantage Companies
To identify the best Medicare Advantage companies, we ranked providers as follows:
- Average plan score (for all plans offered by this provider in the state): 10% of score
- CMS star rating (Overall, or Part C if overall is not applicable): 30% of score
- Provider Enrollment Share: 10% of score
- Provider County Coverage (how many counties does this provider offer plans in): 10% of score