By Bill Wilkie — Independent Medicare Specialist, ABCD Health Plans10+ years Medicare experience · 25+ carriers · Serving Port St. Lucie & all of St. Lucie County · Last updated August 1, 2026
Key Takeaways
- Port St. Lucie residents have 44 Medicare Advantage plans to choose from in 2026, across HMO, HMO-POS, and PPO (including Regional PPO) plan types, from 10 different carriers.
- 39 of those 44 plans carry a $0 monthly premium — but as always, a $0 premium tells you nothing about your actual out-of-pocket risk or whether your doctors are in-network.
- The single most important fact in this guide: the most-enrolled plan in the county — Humana Full Access Giveback, with 11,680 members — carries only a 3.5-star CMS rating. Meanwhile, the three plans that actually earned a full 5-star rating (all from Devoted Health) have a fraction of the enrollment. Popularity and quality are not the same thing here, and this article shows you exactly where they diverge.
- 70% of plans available in St. Lucie County are rated 4 stars or higher — genuinely strong for a Florida market, with an average rating of 4.15 stars countywide.
- No sales pitch here — just what’s actually available, what it actually costs, and which plans are rated well versus simply well-known.
Fast Facts: Medicare Advantage in Port St. Lucie (2026)
| County | St. Lucie |
| ZIP codes covered | 34952, 34953, 34983, 34984, 34985, 34986, 34987, 34988 |
| Total plans available | 44 |
| Carriers offering plans | Aetna, Devoted Health, Florida Blue, Freedom Health, HealthSpring, Humana, Ultimate Health Plans, UnitedHealthcare/AARP, Wellcare |
| $0 premium plans | 39 |
| Average premium (all plans) | $11.70/month |
| Average out-of-pocket maximum | $5,922/year (2026 federal cap: $9,250) |
| Average Part D deductible | $474.71/year |
| 5-star plans | 3 (all Devoted Health HMOs) |
| 4+ star plans | 31 of 44 (70%) |
| Countywide average star rating | 4.15 |
| Countywide MA enrollment | 38,149 beneficiaries |
| Most-enrolled plan | Humana Full Access Giveback (PPO) — 11,680 enrollees, 3.5 stars |
Sources: CMS Medicare Advantage/Part D Contract and Enrollment Data; CMS Landscape and Plan Benefits Package files, current as of May 2026.
The Top Plans by Enrollment — And What Their Star Ratings Actually Say
| Plan Name | Type | Premium | MOOP | Star Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Humana Full Access Giveback (H5216-311) | PPO | $0 | $6,700 | 3.5 |
| AARP Medicare Advantage from UHC (FL-0025) | PPO | $0 | $5,900 | 4.0 |
| HumanaChoice Florida (H5216-062) | PPO | $0 | $4,150 | 3.5 |
| Humana Gold Plus (H1036-229) | HMO | $0 | $3,800 | 4.5 |
Notice the pattern: the two most-enrolled plans in the entire county are both 3.5 stars — solidly average, not top-tier. That’s not necessarily a reason to avoid them; a 3.5-star plan can still be the right fit depending on your network and prescriptions. But it means the plans everyone’s neighbor seems to have aren’t automatically the best-reviewed options in the market.
Beyond the Big Names: Strong Options Worth a Look
A few plans in this market post genuinely standout numbers that don’t get the attention the major carriers do:
- Aetna Medicare Select (H1609-021) — HMO, $0 premium, just a $3,300 MOOP (among the lowest in the entire county) and a $200 Rx deductible, rated 4.5 stars.
- Freedom Platinum Plan Rx (H5427-088) — HMO, $0 premium, an exceptionally low $1,750 MOOP and $0 Rx deductible, rated 4.5 stars.
- Premier by Ultimate (H2962-001) — HMO, $0 premium, $1,900 MOOP, $0 Rx deductible, rated 4.0 stars.
These carriers don’t have the local name recognition of Humana or AARP, but on paper, their cost-protection numbers are some of the strongest available in Port St. Lucie for 2026.
Types of Plans Available
HMO (Health Maintenance Organization) — the majority of plans in this market. You choose a primary care doctor and generally need referrals to see specialists, with care limited to in-network providers except in emergencies.
PPO (Preferred Provider Organization), including Regional PPO — no referrals required, and you can see out-of-network providers at a higher cost. More flexibility, often at a higher MOOP than comparable HMOs in this market.
HMO-POS (HMO with Point-of-Service option) — a hybrid: HMO-style network rules with limited ability to step outside the network for certain services. The AARP/UHC and Aetna HMO-POS plans in this market are consistently rated 4.5 stars.
Veterans: A Note Worth Reading
Port St. Lucie has a significant veteran population, and if you have VA benefits, the Department of Veterans Affairs still encourages enrolling in Medicare as soon as you’re eligible. Having Medicare means you’re covered for care from non-VA doctors and hospitals, VA benefits and healthcare policy can change, and if you ever lose VA coverage without being enrolled in Medicare, you could face permanent Part B and Part D late-enrollment penalties. Worth a specific conversation if this applies to you.
Special Needs Plans (SNPs)
Beyond the 44 standard plans covered here, St. Lucie County also offers Special Needs Plans for two groups: Chronic Special Needs Plans (C-SNP), for people managing specific conditions like diabetes, End-Stage Renal Disease, HIV/AIDS, dementia, or chronic heart failure; and Dual Special Needs Plans (D-SNP), for those eligible for both Medicare and Medicaid. These operate separately from the standard plan list above and are worth a dedicated conversation if either applies to you.
Bill’s Honest Take
I’ve been doing this for over a decade now, and the biggest mistake I see people make in this market isn’t picking a bad plan — it’s picking the plan everyone else has without checking whether it’s actually the best-rated option for what they need. Humana’s name recognition in Port St. Lucie is real, and their plans work well for a lot of people. But when the data shows three 5-star plans sitting quietly next to the most popular 3.5-star plan in the county, that’s exactly the kind of thing I want every client to see before they decide, not after.
I work with 25+ carriers because no single company should be the automatic answer for every person walking through my door. My job isn’t to steer you toward the name you’ve heard of — it’s to show you the honest comparison, including the plans you haven’t heard of that might actually serve you better. That’s it. No pressure, no quota, just the real numbers.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. How many Medicare Advantage plans are available in Port St. Lucie for 2026? 44 plans are available across St. Lucie County, from 10 carriers, spanning HMO, HMO-POS, and PPO (including Regional PPO) plan types.
2. What is the best Medicare Advantage plan in Port St. Lucie? There isn’t a single best plan — it depends on your doctors, prescriptions, and budget. But by CMS’s own quality rating, the three highest-rated plans in the market are all Devoted Health HMOs (Devoted Giveback 045, Devoted Core 046, and Devoted Core 066), each rated 5 stars for 2026 — despite having far fewer enrollees than the market’s most popular plans.
3. Is the most popular Medicare Advantage plan in Port St. Lucie also the highest-rated? No. Humana Full Access Giveback is the most-enrolled plan in St. Lucie County with 11,680 members, but it carries a 3.5-star CMS rating — not the highest available. Several less-enrolled plans, including three 5-star Devoted Health plans, are rated more highly.
4. Are there $0 premium Medicare Advantage plans in Port St. Lucie? Yes — 39 of the 44 available plans carry a $0 monthly premium. A $0 premium doesn’t mean $0 total cost; your out-of-pocket exposure still depends on the plan’s specific copays, coinsurance, and deductible structure.
5. What is the average out-of-pocket maximum for Medicare Advantage plans in Port St. Lucie? The average MOOP across all plans is $5,922 per year, though individual plans range from as low as $1,750 to the federal maximum of $9,250 for 2026.
6. What’s the difference between a 5-star and a 3.5-star Medicare Advantage plan? CMS rates Medicare Advantage plans annually from 1 to 5 stars based on real quality measures, including member satisfaction, preventive care, chronic condition management, and customer service. A 5-star rating is a genuine, data-backed distinction that few plans nationwide achieve — in Port St. Lucie, only 3 of 44 plans reach it for 2026.
7. Do I need a referral to see a specialist with a Medicare Advantage plan in Port St. Lucie? It depends on the plan type. HMO plans generally require a referral from your primary care doctor. PPO and Regional PPO plans typically don’t require referrals, though out-of-network care costs more.
8. Should veterans with VA benefits still enroll in Medicare in Port St. Lucie? Generally, yes. The VA recommends enrolling in Medicare as soon as you’re eligible, since it covers care from non-VA providers, protects against future changes to VA benefits, and helps you avoid permanent late-enrollment penalties if VA coverage is ever lost.
9. Are there Special Needs Plans available in Port St. Lucie? Yes. Both Chronic Special Needs Plans (C-SNP) for specific qualifying conditions and Dual Special Needs Plans (D-SNP) for those eligible for both Medicare and Medicaid are available, separate from the 44 standard plans in this guide.
10. When can I enroll in or switch a Medicare Advantage plan in Port St. Lucie? The Annual Enrollment Period runs October 15 to December 7 each year. If you’re already in a Medicare Advantage plan, the Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period (January 1 to March 31) allows one additional switch. New Medicare beneficiaries can also enroll during their 7-month Initial Enrollment Period.
- Link “Medicare Advantage” mentions → https://abcdhealthplans.com/medicare-advantage-plans/
- Link “Medicare Supplement” mentions → https://abcdhealthplans.com/medigap/
- Link “Part D” mentions → https://abcdhealthplans.com/medicare-part-d/
- Link “Schedule a Free Review” CTA → https://link.billwilkie.net/widget/booking/FY3HEmmMbWJEEoJ4MvZ4
About The Author
Bill Wilkie is an independent Medicare specialist with 10+ years of experience and access to 25+ carriers across 30+ states. Based in Port St. Lucie, FL, Bill got his start in Medicare at Healthfirst in New York before relocating to Florida. He hosts free educational Medicare workshops at local libraries and houses of worship throughout the Port St. Lucie area and provides year-round, no-cost support to his clients — never a call center, always a real person who knows your situation.
📞 Toll Free: 844-900-1468 📧 urmedicareplans@gmail.com 🔗 Schedule a Free Medicare Review
Disclaimer (include at bottom per standard site footer)
Bill Wilkie Insurance LLC is not connected with or endorsed by the United States government or the federal Medicare program. We do not offer every plan available in your area. Any information we provide is limited to those plans we do offer in your area. Please contact Medicare.gov or call 1-800-MEDICARE to get information on all of your options. Plan availability, premiums, and star ratings are subject to change and should be verified directly at Medicare.gov before enrolling.
Sources: CMS Medicare Advantage/Part D Contract and Enrollment Data; CMS Landscape and Plan Benefits Package files (current as of May 2026); cross-verified plan-level star ratings, premiums, MOOP, and Rx deductibles against two independent CMS-data aggregators for consistency.