Cigna Medicare plans have undergone a major change in 2026. The Cigna Group completed the sale of its Medicare business to Health Care Service Corporation (HCSC) in March 2025. Following the transaction, the former Cigna Medicare business operates under the HealthSpring name.
The Cigna Group completed the sale of its Medicare business to HCSC on March 19, 2025.
The transaction transferred Cigna's Medicare Advantage, Medicare Part D, and related Medicare businesses to HCSC. Cigna continued providing certain pharmacy benefit and other services to Medicare members through Evernorth under post-closing service arrangements.
The Medicare business subsequently became associated with HealthSpring.
As a result, a search for Cigna Medicare plans in 2026 may lead to HealthSpring plan information rather than a current Cigna-branded Medicare plan.
HealthSpring is the Medicare business operating under HCSC following the acquisition of Cigna's Medicare business.
The current HealthSpring website provides information about 2026 Medicare plans and allows eligible individuals to review and compare available coverage.
The transition does not mean that Medicare itself changed.
Medicare remains the federal health insurance program, while private insurers administer Medicare Advantage and Part D plans under contracts with Medicare.
Existing members affected by the transaction received plan and membership information associated with the transition.
The specific details depend on the Medicare plan and service area.
Members should rely on current plan documents, identification cards, provider directories, and prescription information rather than older Cigna Medicare materials.
A former Cigna Medicare plan document from 2024 or 2025 may no longer accurately describe the plan operating in 2026.
Medicare Advantage, also known as Medicare Part C, provides Medicare Part A and Part B coverage through a private Medicare-approved health plan.
Medicare Advantage plans can include:
The exact combination varies by plan and location.
Medicare.gov explains that Medicare Advantage plans are offered by private companies approved by Medicare and can provide benefits beyond Original Medicare.
Medicare Part D helps pay for covered prescription medications.
Some Medicare Advantage plans include Part D coverage, while standalone Part D plans can be used alongside Original Medicare.
Medicare.gov states that Part D coverage is offered by private companies approved by Medicare.
Drug coverage can vary considerably between plans.
Important factors include:
Anyone taking regular prescriptions should compare the exact formulary for the plan under consideration.
Although the Cigna Group sold its Medicare business, Cigna's Evernorth businesses continued providing certain pharmacy-related services to Medicare members under transition arrangements following the transaction.
This helps explain why Cigna, Evernorth, or related pharmacy-service names may still appear in Medicare-related information.
The company relationship should not be confused with Cigna continuing to sell the former Cigna Medicare plans directly.
HealthSpring currently provides Medicare plan information for 2026.
Its website states that eligible individuals can apply for 2026 plans if they recently became eligible for Medicare or qualify through a Special Enrollment Period.
Plan availability varies according to location.
A plan offered in one county may not be offered in another county.
Health Maintenance Organization plans generally use a network of participating healthcare providers.
Depending on the plan, members may need to select a primary-care provider and obtain referrals for certain specialist services.
Before enrolling, it is useful to verify whether preferred doctors, hospitals, specialists, and pharmacies participate in the specific plan.
Preferred Provider Organization plans generally provide additional flexibility when receiving care outside the plan's network.
However, out-of-network care can involve higher cost-sharing.
The specific rules depend on the plan.
A PPO should therefore not automatically be assumed to provide unrestricted access to every provider.
Special Needs Plans are Medicare Advantage plans designed for particular groups of beneficiaries.
Major categories include:
Dual Eligible Special Needs Plans are designed for people who qualify for both Medicare and Medicaid.
Eligibility and benefits depend on the plan and the individual's circumstances.
Medicare Advantage plans can include supplemental dental benefits.
Depending on the plan, coverage may include:
Dental benefits frequently have annual limits, provider-network requirements, or procedure-specific cost-sharing.
The Summary of Benefits should be reviewed for the exact coverage.
Some Medicare Advantage plans include routine vision coverage.
Potential benefits can include:
The exact benefit varies by plan.
Certain Medicare Advantage plans provide hearing benefits.
Coverage can include:
The participating provider network and benefit limits should be reviewed in the specific plan documents.
Some Medicare Advantage plans include an OTC allowance.
Eligible products can potentially include:
An OTC allowance is not a universal Medicare benefit and should not be assumed to be included with every plan.
There is no single price for a Medicare Advantage plan that was previously associated with Cigna.
Costs can vary according to:
Some Medicare Advantage plans have no additional monthly plan premium, while others charge a monthly premium in addition to the Medicare Part B premium.
A $0-premium plan can still have other out-of-pocket expenses.
Medicare Advantage plans have an annual maximum for covered Part A and Part B services.
The specific maximum varies by plan.
When comparing plans, it is useful to examine the out-of-pocket maximum together with:
Looking at only the monthly premium can provide an incomplete picture of potential healthcare costs.
Provider networks are especially important when comparing Medicare Advantage plans.
Before selecting a plan, check whether preferred:
are included.
Provider participation can change between plan years.
A doctor who participated in a former Cigna plan does not necessarily participate in the corresponding 2026 HealthSpring plan.
A prescription formulary lists the medications covered by a specific plan.
The same medication can have different costs under different plans.
When reviewing a 2026 Medicare plan, check:
Medicare.gov's plan-comparison resources can be used to compare Medicare health and drug plans.
Some Medicare Advantage plans require prior authorization before certain services, procedures, or medications are covered.
Prior authorization means the health plan reviews a requested service before it is provided.
The requirements vary according to the plan and service.
When reviewing a Medicare plan, prior authorization requirements can be particularly relevant for recurring treatments, specialist procedures, advanced imaging, and certain prescription medications.
Medicare Advantage and Original Medicare have different structures.
| Feature | Medicare Advantage | Original Medicare |
|---|---|---|
| Part A | Included through the plan | Medicare |
| Part B | Included through the plan | Medicare |
| Part D | Often included | Usually separate |
| Provider network | Generally applies | Generally broader provider access |
| Annual Part A/B out-of-pocket maximum | Yes | No standard annual limit |
| Dental benefits | May be included | Generally limited |
| Vision benefits | May be included | Generally limited |
| Private insurer | Yes | No Medicare Advantage insurer |
Individual costs and coverage depend on the specific plan.
Medicare Supplement insurance, also known as Medigap, is different from Medicare Advantage.
Medigap policies work alongside Original Medicare rather than replacing it.
A Medigap policy can help pay certain Medicare-covered cost-sharing amounts, depending on the policy.
Because Cigna's former Medicare business was sold to HCSC, older references to Cigna Medicare Supplement products should be checked carefully against current availability and issuer information.
The main Medicare Annual Enrollment Period generally runs from October 15 through December 7 each year.
For coverage beginning in 2027, this enrollment period will run from October 15 through December 7, 2026.
During this period, eligible beneficiaries can generally:
Other enrollment periods can apply depending on individual circumstances.
The Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period generally runs from January 1 through March 31.
People already enrolled in Medicare Advantage can generally:
Additional rules apply to prescription drug coverage when returning to Original Medicare.
People searching for Cigna Medicare plans in 2026 should focus on the current HealthSpring plan information rather than older Cigna advertisements.
Important comparison points include:
Online articles published before the 2025 transaction may still describe Cigna as a current Medicare Advantage insurer.
That information can be outdated for 2026.
The Cigna Group's Medicare business was transferred to HCSC, while Cigna's broader healthcare businesses continue operating under Cigna Healthcare and Evernorth.
Therefore, the date of an article or plan document matters.
A page describing a Cigna Medicare Advantage plan from 2024 should not automatically be treated as a description of the 2026 Medicare market.
The Cigna Group sold its Medicare business to HCSC in March 2025. The former Medicare business operates under HealthSpring in 2026.
Cigna's Medicare business was acquired by Health Care Service Corporation in March 2025. The Medicare business subsequently became associated with HealthSpring.
HealthSpring operates the former Cigna Medicare business under HCSC. The Cigna Group continues to operate Cigna Healthcare and Evernorth businesses, including certain pharmacy-related services.