Cigna Healthcare vs. UnitedHealthcare

There are numerous health insurance companies that sell private Medicare plans, and among the more well-known carriers are Cigna Healthcare and UnitedHealthcare. 

Both companies sell Medicare Advantage (Medicare Part C) plans, Medicare Part D prescription drug plans and Medicare Supplement Insurance plans (also called Medigap).

In this review, we compare UnitedHealthcare (part of UnitedHealth group) vs. Cigna Healthcare Medicare plans to aid in your shopping search. 

Cigna Healthcare

Visit MedicareAdvantage.com

Every year, Medicare evaluates plans using a 5-star rating system. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) rates all Medicare Advantage and Medicare Part D plans – and the insurance companies that provide them – across a number of quality metrics such as customer satisfaction and patient outcomes. 

In 2024, roughly 67% of Cigna Healthcare Medicare Advantage plan members were enrolled in a plan rated 4 stars or higher by CMS.

Medicare Advantage is otherwise known as Medicare Part C. These plans include all of the same benefits as Original Medicare (Part A and Part B), and plans can also include coverage for things not found in Original Medicare. The additional benefits often include things like dental, vision, hearing or prescription drug coverage. 

Cigna Healthcare and UnitedHealthcare (UHC) each sell the most common types of Medicare Advantage plans, which include Health Maintenance Organization (HMO) plans, Preferred Provider Organization (PPO) plans, Point-of-Service (POS) plans and Special Needs Plans (SNPs).

UnitedHealthcare

Visit MedicareAdvantage.com

While Cigna Healthcare and UHC offer similar types of Medicare health plans, there is quite a difference in the geographic range in which those plans are sold. 

UnitedHealthcare sells its Medicare Advantage plans in every state except Alaska.

Cigna Healthcare Medicare Advantage plans were offered in roughly 18% of U.S. counties in 2024.

Cigna Healthcare vs. UnitedHealthcare: Medicare Part D

Original Medicare does not typically cover prescription medications, which is where Medicare Part D comes in. 

Both Cigna Healthcare and UnitedHealthcare sell several different Medicare Part D plans nationwide, and each plan caters to a distinct budget.

Both companies utilize many of the major chain pharmacies like Walgreens, Walmart and CVS, while also including some smaller local pharmacies as part of their respective networks. Members of either carrier shouldn’t have difficulty locating a participating pharmacy near them where they can use their UnitedHealthcare or Cigna Healthcare Medicare Part D plan (or Medicare Advantage plan that includes drug coverage). 

Both Cigna Healthcare and UnitedHealthcare also offer home delivery of prescription drugs. 

Cigna Healthcare vs. UnitedHealthcare: Medicare Supplement Insurance

Medicare Part A and Part B require a number of out-of-pocket costs such as deductibles, copayments and coinsurance. Medicare Supplement Insurance, or Medigap, helps pay for some of these expenses.

There are 10 standardized Medigap plans available in most states, although plan selection will vary by carrier and location.

UnitedHealthcare has a few more Medigap plan options than Cigna Healthcare though, with eight available plans in many areas, compared to four plans for Cigna Healthcare. The number of Medigap plans and the specific types of plans that are available from either carrier may vary where you live.

The chart below shows which plans are available in many areas of the country.

*Plan F and Plan C are not available to new Medicare beneficiaries who first became eligible for Medicare after January 1, 2020. If you became eligible for Medicare before that date, you may be allowed to apply for either plan if they're available where you live. If you already have Plan F or Plan C, you may keep your plan.

Cigna Healthcare vs. UnitedHealthcare: Which Provider Network is More Popular?

Both Cigna Healthcare and UnitedHealthcare have large networks of health care providers.

Cigna Healthcare has a national network of participating providers. UnitedHealthcare plans are accepted by more than 1.3 million physicians.

No matter which carrier you go with, you can likely find doctor near you who will accept your plan.  

UnitedHealthcare is the largest provider of private Medicare insurance. In fact, 29% of all Medicare Advantage beneficiaries are enrolled in a UnitedHealthcare Medicare plan. 

Cigna Healthcare’s Medicare market share is smaller, as just 2% of all Medicare Advantage beneficiaries are members of a Cigna Healthcare Medicare plan. 

Cigna Healthcare vs. UnitedHealthcare: Summary

UnitedHealthcare is a bigger provider of Medicare insurance than Cigna Healthcare. The companies stack up well against each other in terms of Medicare Part D plans, but UnitedHealthcare offers more Medigap plans and sells Medicare Advantage plans in more states than Cigna Healthcare.

Cigna Healthcare claims a larger network of participating Cigna Healthcare doctors than UnitedHealthcare. 

If you value ease of use and don’t mind paying a little bit more to get it, Cigna Healthcare might be the Medicare carrier for you. If affordability and selection top your list, UnitedHealthcare may be the way to go. 

Compare these brands against other carriers like Humana vs United Healthcare and Cigna Healthcare vs Humana. 

Helpadvisor.com is owned and operated by Tranzact, the parent company of TZ Insurance Solutions LLC, which is the owner/operator of Medicareadvantage.com and other websites mentioned on HelpAdvisor and which has a financial relationship with some of the carriers listed on HelpAdvisor. This may influence which products we write about, but HelpAdvisor maintains editorial independence, and our opinions and evaluations are our own.