Aetna, owned by CVS Health, is in its second straight year of pulling back. Going into 2026 it closed nearly 90 Medicare Advantage plans across 34 states, left about 100 counties on a net basis and exited one state entirely. For 2027, analyst reviews of the CMS landscape data show Aetna exiting about 103 more counties.

The bigger signal is a commission freeze. Aetna told marketing organizations it will not pay brokers to enroll new members in 123 Medicare Advantage plans across 33 states for 2027. Those plans are still on sale, but carriers often freeze commissions on plans they want to shrink, and a frozen plan has a higher chance of being closed in a later year.

Across the whole market, the news is steadier: CMS projects the average Medicare Advantage premium will fall to about $12 a month in 2027. See our guide to Medicare Advantage plans 2027 for the national picture.

• HMO plans: use Aetna’s local network except in emergencies, usually with referrals for specialists. Often the lowest premiums, including $0 plans.
• PPO plans: let you see out-of-network providers at a higher cost, usually without referrals. A better fit if you travel or split time between states.
• Dual Eligible Special Needs Plans (D-SNP): for people with both Medicare and Medicaid.
• Chronic Condition Special Needs Plans (C-SNP): for people with certain chronic conditions. Aetna expanded these to 18 states for 2026.

Not every plan type is sold in every county. Learn more about how Medicare Part C plans work.

Quality is Aetna’s strongest selling point. In the 2026 ratings, more than 81% of its Medicare Advantage members were in plans rated 4 stars or higher, and more than 63% were in 4.5-star plans. That is well above several other large carriers.

In 2026, every Aetna Medicare Advantage plan included dental, vision and hearing benefits and a SilverSneakers fitness membership, and all plans had $0 copays for Tier 1 drugs at in-network pharmacies. For 2027, Aetna plans may include, depending on the plan and your area:

• A $0 monthly plan premium
• Prescription drug coverage, with the new $2,400 yearly cap on covered drug costs
• Dental, vision and hearing benefits
• An Extra Benefits Card for over-the-counter items and other card-based benefits
• A fitness membership
• The Medicare Prescription Payment Plan to spread drug costs across the year

Benefit amounts vary widely from plan to plan, and many carriers trimmed extras for 2027. Not all plans offer all benefits, so compare the details line by line.

Aetna pairs strong quality scores with a shrinking footprint. UnitedHealthcare offers the largest network. Humana is reshaping its plan lineup and has far fewer members in highly rated plans. The right carrier depends on which plans are sold in your county, whether your doctors are in network and what your drugs cost on each plan.

Thinking about leaving Medicare Advantage instead? See how Medicare Supplement plans work with Original Medicare.