Aetna vs. UnitedHealthcare Medigap: Which Is Cheaper?

If you're trying to decide whether Aetna or UnitedHealthcare is cheaper for Medicare Supplement coverage, the answer depends heavily on which plan you're buying.

I ran a 2026 rate comparison across dozens of ZIP codes for both companies, and the results weren't close - they just went in opposite directions depending on the plan.

My take is simple: don't ask "is Aetna cheaper than UnitedHealthcare?" Ask "which one is cheaper for the plan I want, in my ZIP code, today?"

My 2026 Comparison

These aren't national averages - they're actual rate comparisons from the ZIP codes in my sample. Your ZIP code can produce a different result.

How I Compared These Rates

These figures come from a 2026 rate comparison I ran across one representative ZIP code per state for Aetna and UnitedHealthcare Plan G and Plan N.

The sample profile behind these rates is a 65-year-old male, non-smoker, newly eligible for Medicare Part B.

"N/A" means one or both companies didn't have a rate available for that ZIP code in my data at the time of collection.

These are examples from my sample, not national averages by state, and shouldn't substitute for a current quote in your own ZIP code.

UnitedHealthcare Usually Wins Plan G - Sometimes By a Lot

UnitedHealthcare was cheaper in 84% of the Plan G markets I compared, and in several states the gap was enormous.

Colorado was the starkest example: UHC came in at $230.80 versus $362.44 for Aetna - a $131.64 monthly advantage for UHC.

UnitedHealthcare won most of my Plan G comparisons, but not all of them.

Mississippi was one of the biggest exceptions: UHC came in at $223.24 versus $200.50 for Aetna - a $22.74 monthly advantage for Aetna.

"UHC was cheaper 84% of the time" is useful information, but it's not a substitute for getting the actual quote.

See current sample pricing on my Medicare Supplement Plan G Cost page.

Aetna Usually Wins Plan N - Also Sometimes By a Lot

Aetna dominated Plan N in my sample, cheaper in 82% of the markets I compared.

Kansas was the starkest example: UHC came in at $216.05 versus $149.86 for Aetna - a $66.19 monthly advantage for Aetna.

Aetna dominated Plan N in my sample - but Oregon was a huge exception: $193.07 for UHC versus $273.14 for Aetna, an $80.07 monthly difference in UHC's favor.

Imagine reading "Aetna is usually cheaper for Plan N," skipping the quote, and enrolling in the one market where that's dramatically untrue.

That's exactly why I'd never recommend picking a Medigap company off a national pattern alone.

See current sample pricing on my Medicare Supplement Plan N Cost page.

Does the Size of the Difference Matter?

Win counts only tell part of the story.

A $2/month edge and a $130/month edge both count as "cheaper," but they don't deserve the same weight in a decision.

I broke my sample down by how big the gap actually was:

Out of 37 comparable Plan G markets and 38 comparable Plan N markets in my sample.

UnitedHealthcare didn't merely win more of my Plan G comparisons.

In 15 of the 37 markets I reviewed (about 41%), the gap exceeded $25 a month, and in 8 of those it topped $50.

Aetna's Plan N advantage was even more concentrated: the gap exceeded $25 a month in 22 of 38 markets (about 58%), though only 4 topped $50.

The Cheapest Plan Today Isn't Always the Cheapest Plan to Own

This is where the initial carrier decision matters more than a lot of shoppers realize.

Unlike car insurance, you generally can't assume you'll be able to freely switch Medigap companies every year to chase the lowest price.

Outside your Medigap Open Enrollment Period and specific guaranteed-issue situations, you may have to go through medical underwriting, and acceptance isn't guaranteed, per CMS's own guidance.

That means a beneficiary who picks the cheaper company today, then later wants to switch because a competitor becomes cheaper, isn't guaranteed to be able to do it on the same terms.

I'd rather see someone pick carefully once - weighing price alongside rate history, discount structure, and service - than assume they can shop again next year the way they might with home or auto insurance.

If you're not sure whether you can switch right now, my piece on buying a Medigap plan anytime walks through the actual rules.

What Surprised Me About the Results

The Plan G/Plan N reversal was remarkably strong.

It wasn't a small statistical lean: UHC won 84% of comparable Plan G markets while Aetna won 82% of Plan N markets.

The size of some differences surprised me more than the winner count.

$100-plus differences for the same standardized Plan G benefits deserve attention.

The exceptions were just as important as the pattern.

Oregon Plan N is the perfect example - someone relying on the national pattern in my sample could be off by $80 a month there.

What Am I Actually Comparing?

Since Plan G and Plan N benefits are standardized in most states, the price difference between Aetna and UnitedHealthcare isn't buying different coverage.

You can read more on what Medicare Supplement insurance actually is if you're new to this.

Here's what the difference actually reflects:

• Premium today - what you actually pay this month.
• Rate behavior - how that premium has changed over time in your state or block of business. I explain more about this in my piece on attained-age vs. issue-age Medigap plans.
• Discount structure - whether the quoted price already includes a household or other discount, and whether you'll keep qualifying for it.
• Customer service - especially when a claim or billing issue doesn't process automatically.
• Financial strength - a real factor, though usually not the deciding one between two large, well-rated carriers.
• Availability and underwriting - whether you can actually get the policy, and what happens if you want to switch later.

That's a framework I'd apply to any two Medigap carriers, not just these two.

Before You Compare Prices, Check the Discounts

A quoted premium that includes a household discount and one that doesn't aren't actually comparable, even for the identical plan letter.

Here's a simple hypothetical:

Carrier A looks $15 more expensive on paper.

After the discount, it's actually $5 cheaper.

Before comparing any two Medigap quotes, I'd confirm whether either price already includes a discount, what the eligibility rules are, and whether that discount could go away later.

Common Mistakes I See

For a longer list, see my full rundown of Medigap shopping mistakes to avoid.

What the Complaint Data Tells Me

That's a fair question. If the Plan G or Plan N medical benefits are standardized, what exactly are you getting for a higher premium? Not better coverage - you don't get better hospital coverage or an extra 20% somewhere because you chose one company over the other. What the pricier company can point to is its service record.

The NAIC Complaint Index is the most commonly cited benchmark here - it compares complaints received to market share, with 1.00 as the industry average.

UnitedHealthcare has generally reported an index below 1.00 (better than average), and Aetna has generally reported one above 1.00.

These figures move year to year and should be checked against NAIC's current data before you rely on them, rather than treated as fixed facts.

Many routine Medigap claims don't require much interaction with either company - the provider bills Medicare, Medicare pays its share, and the supplement carrier pays the rest automatically.

I wouldn't let a complaint index scare someone away from a $50-plus monthly savings without putting that number into context - and in this comparison, which company that savings favors depends on whether you're buying Plan G or Plan N.

Financial Stability Comparison

UnitedHealth Group's health and dental subsidiaries were downgraded by AM Best from A+ (Superior) to A (Excellent) on August 28, 2025, citing about $6.5 billion in additional 2025 medical expenses concentrated more heavily in Medicare Advantage - not a finding specific to Medigap claims-paying ability. Aetna and UnitedHealthcare now sit closer together on AM Best's scale than older comparisons suggest.

State Availability

No, neither company was available for both plans in every state in my sample.

All other states in my sample had a comparable rate available from both companies. UnitedHealthcare's AARP-branded plans had a broader footprint in my sample. Availability changes, so confirm what's offered in your ZIP code before comparing prices.

Who Should Choose Each

One thing I'd be clear about: how often you're likely to need customer support isn't about how many medical conditions you have.

Medigap claims are largely automated regardless of health status, and plenty of people with ongoing conditions go years without ever calling their supplement carrier.

This is a preference about how much you value premium savings versus service reassurance - not a decision that should be made based on current health.

Bottom Line

My data doesn't show that Aetna is cheaper than UnitedHealthcare, or that UnitedHealthcare is cheaper than Aetna. It shows something more interesting: UnitedHealthcare was dramatically more price-competitive on Plan G in my 2026 sample, Aetna was dramatically more price-competitive on Plan N, and both had individual markets where the other company's typical advantage disappeared completely.

So I wouldn't walk in assuming either company is "the cheap one." I'd quote both, for the specific plan I'm buying, in my specific ZIP code - using the tool above as a starting point, not a final answer.

And I wouldn't stop at these two. If you want a wider read before deciding, I'd also compare the Medigap Plan G companies I'd look at first, or see how these two stack up against others directly: Blue Cross Blue Shield vs. UnitedHealthcare, Cigna vs. UnitedHealthcare, or Humana vs. UnitedHealthcare.

Get the rates first. Then decide what the differences between the companies are actually worth to you.