Medicare Advantage member satisfaction declines as trust wanes

Policy changes and uncertainty in the Medicare Advantage landscape have contributed to a decline in trust and member satisfaction, new data from J.D. Power shows. Medicare Advantage member satisfaction was scored 623 on a 1,000-point scale, down 29 points from last year.

J.D. Power collected responses from more than 10,000 members of Medicare Advantage plans in 10 market-based U.S. regions. The survey measured Medicare Advantage member satisfaction based on eight factors: level of trust, ability to get health services when and how a member wants them, whether the plan helps save time or money, product and coverage offerings, ease of doing business, staff, problem resolution and digital channels.

Lack of trust was the main driver of decreased member satisfaction, with respondents reporting a 39-point drop in overall trust in their Medicare Advantage plans. The ease of doing business and product and coverage offerings categories also showed notable declines.

Many first-year members experienced a rocky start to their Medicare Advantage coverage, the data suggested. Just 38% of first-year members said that their insurer fulfilled their service expectations, compared to 45% of established members. New members cited struggles with finding in-network doctors, using their health savings accounts and navigating deductibles and prior authorizations.

Although overall member satisfaction dipped, select plans have emerged as leaders. Kaiser Permanente ranked highest overall for customer satisfaction with Medicare Advantage plans in California for the second year in a row, with a score of 675.

In Georgia, UnitedHealthcare ranked highest in member satisfaction, at 648, followed by Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield with a score of 625. For the third consecutive year, Excellus BlueCross BlueShield ranked highest in overall satisfaction with Medicare Advantage plans in New York, with a score of 648.

"With so much rumbling in the marketplace right now about increased government oversight, policy changes and profitability challenges confronting Medicare Advantage plans, it can be misleading for plans to conclude that the significant decline in member satisfaction is a byproduct of changes that are outside their control," Christopher Lis, managing director of global healthcare intelligence at J.D. Power, said in a statement alongside the study.

"Yet top-performing plans that invest in robust new-member onboarding, increased transparency, new digital tools, broader networks and social support services are proving that they are better equipped to maintain member trust and satisfaction -- even in a volatile environment. These digital tools in particular can help drive increased personalization, automated and more consistent onboarding and increased transparency with real-time updates that members need."

Many health plans are attempting to make the member experience better through technology and transparency. For example, in June 2025, dozens of leading health plans, including Kaiser Permanente and UnitedHealthcare, joined an AHIP-led pledge to improve the prior authorization process across the industry by speeding up approvals and providing clearer explanations of prior authorization determinations.

Still, health plans will need to continue these efforts to restore member trust and alleviate confusion in the wake of policy changes.

Jill McKeon has covered healthcare cybersecurity and privacy news since 2021.