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  1. 🏠
  2. Medicare Advantage Plans
  3. Iowa
  4. Howard County

2026 Medicare Advantage Plans in Howard County, IA

Last update: September 2, 2026.

For 2026, Howard County, IA includes 13 Medicare Advantage plans. Enrollment across these plans totals approximately 306, with 10 $0 premium options and 31% rated 4 stars or higher.

This page and its statistics exclude Medicare Advantage Special Needs Plans (SNPs). Special Needs Plans in Howard County, IA are summarized separately. Visit Medicare Options in Howard County, IA to see more options.

  • PPO Plans
  • HMO-POS Plans

At a Glance

County-level summary of Medicare Advantage plan availability and enrollment based on CMS data.

  • Average Monthly Premium: $10.46/mo
  • $0 Premium Plans: 10
  • Average MOOP: $5,312 ($9,250 max. in 2026)
  • Star Ratings (Plan Mix): 4+ Stars: 31% · 3 Stars: 69% · Below 3: 0%
  • Average Part D Deductible: $560.50
  • Total MA/MAPD Enrollment: 306
  • Plans with the Highest Enrollment
    (as of September 8, 2026)
    1. Blue Medicare Advantage PPO (PPO) — 231 enrollees
    2. Aetna Medicare Signature (PPO) — 46 enrollees
    3. Humana USAA Honor Giveback (PPO) — 15 enrollees

Medicare Advantage PPO Plans

Preferred Provider Organization (PPO) plans allow members to choose care from both in-network and out-of-network providers. Out-of-network care usually costs more, but PPOs offer greater flexibility in how members access care.

Total PPO Plans
9
Average Monthly Premium
$10.56/mo
Total PPO Enrollment
292
$0 Premium PPO Plans
7
Average MOOP
$5,456
Top PPO by Enrollment
Blue Medicare Advantage PPO (PPO) — 231 enrollees
PPO Plans Without Drug Coverage
2

2026 PPO Medicare Advantage plans in Howard County, Iowa (comparison chart)
PPO Plan Name Rating* Premium MOOP Rx Ded. Plan-ID
Aetna Medicare Elite
☆☆☆☆☆
$0 $5,500 $615 H1608-037-0
Aetna Medicare Enhanced Extra
☆☆☆☆☆
$57 $4,500 $615 H1608-117-0
Aetna Medicare Signature
☆☆☆☆☆
$0 $5,000 $615 H1608-001-0
Blue Medicare Advantage PPO
☆☆☆☆☆
$0 $4,150 $300 H5900-001-0
Blue Medicare Advantage Valor PPO
☆☆☆☆☆
$0 $6,750 N/A H5900-006-0
Humana Full Access H5216-411
☆☆☆☆☆
$0 $4,250 $400 H5216-411-0
Humana USAA Honor Giveback
☆☆☆☆☆
$0 $4,700 N/A H5216-278-1
HumanaChoice Giveback H5216-340
☆☆☆☆☆
$0 $5,000 $600 H5216-340-0
HumanaChoice H5216-014
☆☆☆☆☆
$38 $9,250 $615 H5216-014-0

What is the average monthly premium for PPO plans in Howard?

PPO plans in Howard cost $10.56 per month on average.

Which PPO plan has the highest enrollment in Howard?

The most popular PPO plan in Howard is Blue Medicare Advantage PPO (PPO), with 231 enrollees.

How many PPO plans in Howard do not include prescription drug coverage?

2 PPO plans in Howard do not include prescription drug coverage.

Medicare Advantage HMO-POS Plans

HMO-POS plans are structured like HMOs, requiring in-network care for the lowest costs, while allowing limited out-of-network access at higher cost. This provides added flexibility compared with standard HMO plans.

Total HMO-POS Plans
4
Average Monthly Premium
$10.25/mo
Total HMO-POS Enrollment
14
$0 Premium HMO-POS Plans
3
Average MOOP
$4,988
Top HMO-POS by Enrollment
Aetna Medicare Signature (HMO-POS) — 14 enrollees
HMO-POS Plans Without Drug Coverage
1

2026 HMO-POS Medicare Advantage plans in Howard County, Iowa (comparison chart)
Plan Name Rating* Premium MOOP Rx Ded. Plan-ID
Aetna Medicare Eagle
☆☆☆☆☆
$0 $6,750 N/A H1609-058-0
Aetna Medicare Signature
☆☆☆☆☆
$0 $4,300 $615 H1609-001-0
Aetna Medicare Signature Extra
☆☆☆☆☆
$0 $5,000 $615 H1609-069-0
Aetna Medicare Value Care
☆☆☆☆☆
$41 $3,900 $615 H1609-068-0

What is the typical premium for HMO-POS plans in Howard?

HMO-POS plans in Howard cost $10.25 per month on average.

Which HMO-POS plan has the most members in Howard?

The most popular HMO-POS plan in Howard is Aetna Medicare Signature (HMO-POS), with 14 enrollees.

How many HMO-POS options are offered without prescription drug coverage in Howard?

There are 1 HMO-POS plans in Howard without prescription drug coverage.

CMS quality ratings for Medicare Advantage plans in Howard County, IA (2026) are summarized below.

Medicare Advantage Plan Ratings in Howard County, IA (2026)
Rating Category Number of Plans Percent of Plans
5 Stars No 5-star plans available. 0%
4 Stars (includes 5 Stars) 4 31%
3 Stars 9 69%
Below 3 Stars 0 0%
Not Rated 0 0%
Average Rating 3.81

* CMS assigns Medicare Advantage star ratings annually based on plan quality and performance measures.

  • CMS.gov, Medicare Advantage & Special Needs Plan Landscape Source Files — Version: 202608
  • CMS.gov, Medicare Part C & D Performance Data — Version: 2026
  • CMS.gov, Medicare Advantage & Part D Contract and Enrollment Data — Version: 2026-08

All plan counts, enrollment totals, averages, and percentage distributions are calculated at the county level using CMS data and include standard Medicare Advantage (MA/MAPD) plans only, based on a consistent aggregation methodology.

Data sources and methodology documentation .

  • Medicare.gov, "Understanding Medicare Advantage Plans" — Last accessed 25 May, 2025
  • Medicare.gov, "Compare Original Medicare & Medicare Advantage" — Last accessed 25 May, 2025
  • NCOA.org, "5 Steps to Choosing the Right Medicare Plan for You" — Last accessed 25 May, 2025

MedicarePlans.com is an independent, non-government informational resource and is not affiliated with or endorsed by the U.S. Government or the federal Medicare program.

Data provenance is documented in accordance with the U.S. Core Data for Interoperability (USCDI) Provenance standard .

Page content independently curated and maintained by David W. Bynon, Editorial Steward, using a standardized, data-driven methodology for accurate, non-commercial Medicare plan interpretation and resolution.

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