Iowa · Medicare Advantage
Iowa Medicare Advantage Plans for 2026
How many plans are sold in Iowa, what they cost, which extra benefits they list, and who offers them, from public CMS data. Benefits vary by plan and location.
These plan figures are for 2026, the latest plan year in our data. Plans, premiums, and benefits for 2027 can differ. Compare 2027 plans on Medicare.gov Plan Finder before you choose.
Iowa at a glance
Iowa has 71 Medicare Advantage plans from 14 insurers for 2026.
22 of them (31%) charge no monthly plan premium, though members still pay the Part B premium.
27 plans have an overall CMS star rating of 4 or higher.
240,688 people in Iowa were enrolled in Medicare Advantage as of September 2026.
The insurer with the most members, Aetna/CVS, covers 32% of them.
61 of 71 plans include some dental coverage, and 20 list a grocery allowance, usually only for members who meet chronic-condition or Medicaid rules.
- People in Medicare Advantage
- 240,688
- As of September 2026
- Plans offered for 2026
- 71
- Excludes employer group plans
- Insurers offering plans
- 14
- $0-premium plans
- 22
- 20 are not Special Needs Plans
- Median monthly plan premium
- $29
- Middle value across plans, not weighted by enrollment
- Plans rated 4 stars or higher
- 27
- Plans with Part D drug coverage
- 52
- Dual-eligible Special Needs Plans (D-SNP)
- 10
- For people with Medicare and Medicaid
- Chronic-condition Special Needs Plans (C-SNP)
- 2
- Change in enrollment over one year
- -0.2%
- September 2025 to September 2026
Extra benefits in Iowa plans
Medicare Advantage plans can add benefits Original Medicare does not cover. How many Iowa plans list each one:
| Benefit | Plans | Share of plans | Typical amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grocery allowance | 20 | 28% | $1,920 a year median (range $480–$2,820) |
| Over-the-counter (OTC) allowance | 50 | 70% | $200 a year median (range $80–$1,920) |
| Dental coverage | 61 | 86% | $1,000 a year median (range $250–$5,000) |
| Vision (eyewear) | 69 | 97% | Not enough plans list an amount |
| Hearing aids | 61 | 86% | Not enough plans list an amount |
| Part B giveback | 15 | 21% | $90 a month median (range $0.30–$159.70) |
| Transportation | 15 | 21% | Not enough plans list an amount |
| Fitness | 50 | 70% | Not enough plans list an amount |
| Meals | 43 | 61% | Not enough plans list an amount |
Shares are out of 71 plans checked for benefits. A plan counts if it lists the benefit on its own or on a combined allowance card. Amounts are medians across plans that list a dollar figure; the Part B giveback is per month, the rest per year.
For 10 plans, the CMS data does not say whether a Part B giveback is offered.
Compare plan benefits in Iowa
Who offers plans in Iowa
Listed by number of Medicare Advantage members in Iowa, largest first (September 2026). The order reflects size only, not plan quality or our view of any insurer.
| Insurer | Members | Share of members |
|---|---|---|
| Aetna/CVS | 77,445 | 32% |
| UnitedHealthcare | 55,771 | 23% |
| BCBS Michigan | 33,043 | 14% |
| Humana | 32,210 | 13% |
| Medical Associates Clinic, P.C. | 13,817 | 6% |
| Centene/Wellcare | 12,400 | 5% |
| Trinity Health Corporation | 7,810 | 3% |
| Elevance/Anthem/BCBS | 3,705 | 2% |
| Mitchell Family Office | 1,390 | under 1% |
| Molina Healthcare, Inc. | 827 | under 1% |
Plans offered by insurer (2026)
Most plans first. More plans does not mean better plans.
| Insurer | Plans |
|---|---|
| UnitedHealthcare | 10 |
| Humana | 9 |
| Aetna/CVS | 8 |
| Medica | 7 |
| Medical Associates Clinic, P.C. | 7 |
| University of Wisconsin Hospitals and Clincs Autho | 6 |
| Trinity Health Corporation | 5 |
| Centene/Wellcare | 4 |
| Sanford Health | 4 |
| Devoted Health | 3 |
Counties with the most Medicare Advantage members
Plans are sold county by county, so the choices in one county can differ from the next.
| County | Medicare Advantage members |
|---|---|
| Polk | 37,850 |
| Linn | 22,750 |
| Scott | 15,743 |
| Dubuque | 12,233 |
| Black Hawk | 10,652 |
| Pottawattamie | 9,408 |
| Woodbury | 8,984 |
| Johnson | 7,789 |
| Dallas | 5,885 |
| Clinton | 4,603 |
Medicare Advantage enrollment by month
Medicare Advantage enrollment in Iowa fell by 632 people (-0.2%) from September 2025 to September 2026.
- September 2025268,477
- October 2025268,922
- November 2025269,211
- December 2025268,926
- January 2026261,016
- February 2026265,649
- March 2026266,658
- April 2026267,217
- May 2026267,180
- June 2026267,341
- July 2026267,519
- August 2026267,805
- September 2026267,845
Special Needs Plans
Special Needs Plans are Medicare Advantage plans for specific groups. Iowa has 10 plans for people with both Medicare and Medicaid (D-SNP), 2 for people with certain chronic conditions (C-SNP), and 6 for people who live in a nursing home or need that level of care (I-SNP).
Medicare Savings Programs and Extra Help: 2026 Guide for SeniorsKey dates
Plans mail an Annual Notice of Change by September 30. Read it before Open Enrollment: it lists what your plan changes next year.
- October 15, 2026 – December 7, 2026
- Open Enrollment for 2027 coverage. Join, switch, or drop a Medicare Advantage or drug plan.
- January 1, 2027
- Changes made during Open Enrollment take effect.
- January 1, 2027 – March 31, 2027
- Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment. If you are already in a Medicare Advantage plan, you can make one change.
- December 8, 2026 – November 30, 2027
- You can switch once into a plan with a 5-star overall rating, if one is sold where you live.
Free, unbiased help in Iowa
You can also call Medicare at 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227; TTY 1-877-486-2048), 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Other senior benefits in IowaMedicare guides
Frequently asked questions
- How many Medicare Advantage plans are in Iowa for 2026?
- CMS data lists 71 Medicare Advantage plans from 14 insurers in Iowa for 2026. The plans you can join depend on your county, so check the plans for your ZIP code on Medicare.gov Plan Finder.
- How many $0-premium Medicare Advantage plans are in Iowa?
- 22 of the 71 plans charge no monthly plan premium for 2026, and 20 of those are open to people without Medicaid or a qualifying condition. You still pay your Part B premium in a $0-premium plan.
- Do Medicare Advantage plans in Iowa offer a grocery allowance?
- 20 of 71 plans list a grocery allowance. Most limit it to members with qualifying chronic conditions or to people who also have Medicaid. Benefits vary by plan and county.
- How many people in Iowa have Medicare Advantage?
- 240,688 people in Iowa were enrolled in Medicare Advantage as of September 2026, according to CMS enrollment data.
- When can I join or switch Medicare Advantage plans in Iowa?
- Open Enrollment runs from October 15, 2026, to December 7, 2026. Changes start January 1, 2027. If you are already in a Medicare Advantage plan, you can make one change from January 1, 2027, to March 31, 2027. Other changes need a Special Enrollment Period.
- Is Senior Deal Club part of Medicare?
- No. Senior Deal Club is not affiliated with or endorsed by Medicare, CMS, or any government agency. This page explains public CMS data. It does not recommend a plan.
Sources and method
- Source: CMS Medicare Advantage enrollment data, September 2026
- Source: CMS Medicare Advantage plan data, 2026 plan year
Built from the CMS Medicare Advantage landscape, Plan Benefit Package, star rating, and monthly enrollment files. Plan figures are for the 2026 plan year. Enrollment data as of September 2026. Each plan counts once statewide, even when it is sold in many counties. Employer group plans are left out. CMS hides enrollment counts of 10 or fewer, so shares can add up to a little under 100%.
About this page
Senior Deal Club is not affiliated with or endorsed by Medicare, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), or any government agency. This page is educational. It is not an offer of insurance and does not recommend a plan.
Plan and enrollment figures on these pages come from public CMS data and cover every insurer in that data, listed in a neutral order. Not all plans offer all benefits. Benefits, premiums, and costs vary by plan and location, and limitations and exclusions may apply.
For information on all of your options, contact Medicare.gov, 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227; TTY 1-877-486-2048), or your State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP).
Senior Deal Club may be paid when visitors to other parts of this site speak with licensed insurance agents. That does not change the figures here. See our editorial policy.