Updated May 2026
Condition Care · Medicare Ratings
Best Medicare Plans for Diabetes Care near 35603, AL (2026)
Medicare Advantage plans differ meaningfully in how well they support members with diabetes. Below is every plan available near 35603, AL, ranked on CMS's five diabetes-care quality measures.
for Diabetes
Available
on This Site
Affected (CDC)
Reviewed by: Wes Ward, Founder & Data Lead • View our methodology
Important: We are not affiliated with Medicare, CMS, or any insurance plan. This page displays publicly available CMS quality data to help you research diabetes care care options. We do not sell insurance or represent any carrier. Always confirm plan details, network status, and drug formularies directly with the plan before enrolling. For official enrollment, visit Medicare.gov or call 1-800-MEDICARE.
Why Diabetes Care Quality Varies by Plan
Diabetes affects roughly one in four Medicare beneficiaries, and well-managed diabetes care is one of the clearest predictors of whether an older adult stays independent, avoids hospital stays, and keeps complications — kidney failure, amputation, vision loss — from developing. The problem: quality varies enormously between Medicare Advantage plans. Some plans invest in diabetes case management, nurse coaching, and continuous glucose monitors; others leave members to coordinate their own care.
CMS publishes five distinct diabetes-care measures that expose this variation: did your plan help you control your blood sugar, get your annual eye exam, monitor your kidney function, take your prescribed medications, and use a statin if your doctor recommended one? The composite diabetes score on this page is the plan's weighted average across those five measures.
How We Rank These Plans for Diabetes
CMS publishes annual Star Ratings for Part C and Part D plans. Within those ratings, several measures are condition-specific — they directly reflect how well a plan's enrollees with diabetes care receive recommended care. For Diabetes Care, we rank plans using the following measures:
- Diabetes Care — Blood Sugar Controlled Clinical
- Diabetes Care — Eye Exam Clinical
- Diabetes Care — Kidney Disease Monitoring Clinical
- Medication Adherence for Diabetes Medications Adherence
- Statin Use in Persons with Diabetes Drug Therapy
A plan must report at least 3 of 5 measures to receive a composite Diabetes score. Plans reporting fewer measures are shown in a separate "Not Rated by CMS for Diabetes" cohort — this typically happens with newer plans, smaller plans, or Special Needs Plans that serve narrow populations. Read our full methodology →
Top-Rated Medicare Plans for Diabetes near 35603, AL
Of the plans available near 35603, AL, 17 have enough CMS data to receive a composite Diabetes score. The top 10 are shown below, ranked by score. Plans with the same score are ordered by premium (lowest first).
| Plan | Diabetes Score | Star Rating | Monthly Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| Simpra Advantage Dual Care (PPO D-SNP) Simpra Advantage | 87.8 | Not Rated | $28 |
| Simpra Advantage Nursing Home Plan (PPO I-SNP) Simpra Advantage | 87.8 | Not Rated | $28 |
| Simpra Advantage Assist (PPO I-SNP) Simpra Advantage | 87.8 | Not Rated | $81 |
| Healthspring Courage (HMO) Healthspring | 85.4 | 4.0 ★ | $0 |
| Healthspring Preferred Al (HMO) Healthspring | 85.4 | 4.0 ★ | $0 |
| Healthspring Preferred (HMO) Healthspring | 85.4 | 4.0 ★ | $0 |
| Healthspring Totalcare (HMO D-SNP) Healthspring | 85.4 | 4.0 ★ | $3 |
| Healthspring Totalcare Plus (HMO D-SNP) Healthspring | 85.4 | 4.0 ★ | $7 |
| Healthspring Preferred Plus (HMO) Healthspring | 85.4 | 4.0 ★ | $20 |
| Aarp Medicare Advantage From Uhc Al-0003 (HMO-POS) Unitedhealthcare | 83.2 | 4.0 ★ | $0 |
How to read this table: The Diabetes score is a weighted average of CMS condition-specific measures (listed above). Higher is better. Star Rating is the plan's overall CMS Star Rating (1-5) across all measures. "Monthly Premium" is the base premium; actual cost depends on your situation. Drug formularies and provider networks vary by plan — always verify before enrolling.
Compare every plan side-by-side
See full premium, deductible, drug tier, and star-rating detail for all Medicare plans near 35603, AL. The 35603, AL plan page is our most complete comparison view.
Compare All Medicare Plans near 35603, AL →Other Plans Available (Not Rated by CMS for Diabetes)
Some Medicare plans in your area don't report enough data on diabetes care measures for CMS to compute a condition-specific score. This typically happens with newer plans, smaller plans, or Special Needs Plans that serve narrow populations. These plans aren't necessarily worse — they just can't be ranked on Diabetes care specifically:
- Aarp Medicare Rx Preferred From Uhc (PDP) — Unitedhealthcare
- Aarp Medicare Rx Saver From Uhc (PDP) — Unitedhealthcare
- Bluerx Enhanced Plus (PDP) — Bluerx (Pdp)
- Bluerx Essential (PDP) — Bluerx (Pdp)
- Healthspring Assurance Rx (PDP) — Healthspring
- Healthspring Extra Rx (PDP) — Healthspring
- Humana Basic Rx Plan (PDP) — Humana
- Humana Premier Rx Plan (PDP) — Humana
- Humana Value Rx Plan (PDP) — Humana
- Silverscript Choice (PDP) — Aetna Medicare
- Wellcare Classic (PDP) — Wellcare
- Wellcare Value Script (PDP) — Wellcare
Diabetes Care near 35603, AL
In 35603, AL, 13.41% of adults live with diabetes. That's close to the national average of 12.04%. Plan quality varies widely even in average-prevalence areas — the scored plans below reflect real differences in how diabetes care is being managed.
How 35603, AL compares
Morgan County County
Lower than the county average.
Alabama
In line with the state average.
National
CDC BRFSS-derived benchmark, population-weighted.
Source: CDC PLACES (2025) — census-tract prevalence estimates rolled up to zip and county using population-weighted aggregation from census block data. State and national figures from CDC BRFSS as reported in CDC PLACES documentation. Prevalence is a crude (not age-adjusted) estimate of adults 18+.
Local Diabetes Specialists
The doctors below are in or near 35603, AL and practice in specialties directly relevant to diabetes care care. Plan network participation varies — always confirm with the practice and your plan before your first visit.
Stephanie Patrick
Bobby N. Johnson
Melissa V. Chan
Kevin R. Harris
Reginald D. Gladish
Muhammad A. Ali
Mary Brandenburg
Micah A. Howard
Hospitals Serving 35603, AL Residents
For diabetes care care that requires hospitalization — procedures, surgeries, or emergency admissions — these are the nearest hospitals with full quality profiles on our site:
Decatur Morgan Hospital - Decatur Campus
Lawrence Medical Center
Athens Limestone Hospital
Huntsville Hospital
Crestwood Medical Center
35603, AL Community Context
Factors beyond plan ratings and doctor networks affect diabetes care outcomes. Neighborhood safety, transportation access, and broadband availability (for telehealth) all shape how successfully someone manages diabetes care. These data points are drawn from our sister sites:
Neighborhood Safety
Block-level crime analysis from CrimeGrade.org. Safety affects willingness to keep appointments and take walks.
Coverage & Economic Context
Of residents lack health insurance · 3.8% unemployment rate. Coverage gaps and economic stress disrupt chronic-care continuity. See the full neighborhood profile at BestNeighborhood.org.
Telehealth Readiness
Households with fiber broadband — reliable internet makes chronic-care check-ins easier. Check your address at ISPReports.org.
These community-context indicators come from our sister sites — independent of the Medicare data above — and are included because the environment a person lives in shapes how successfully they manage a chronic condition. Zip-level detail helps explain why identical plans can produce different outcomes in different neighborhoods.
Your Next Steps
If you or a family member has diabetes care, here's a practical checklist for choosing a Medicare plan:
- Check the Diabetes score column above. A higher composite score means the plan's existing members with diabetes care receive recommended care more consistently.
- Verify your specialists are in-network. Plan networks vary by carrier. See local Diabetes doctors and call their offices to confirm your shortlisted plans are accepted.
- Check your medications. If you take prescription drugs for diabetes care, confirm they're on the plan's formulary at an affordable tier. Drug coverage changes every January.
- Look at the Medication Adherence measure. CMS separately measures how consistently a plan's members stay on their medications. High adherence scores correlate with plans that proactively support chronic-care patients.
- Respect the enrollment window. You can only switch plans during specific periods. Review enrollment dates →
Diabetes Care & Medicare: Common Questions
How is the Diabetes score calculated for plans near 35603, AL?
What if no plan near 35603, AL has a Diabetes score?
Are my specialists in-network with the top-rated Diabetes plans near 35603, AL?
Do these plan scores predict my personal experience with diabetes care?
When can I change my Medicare plan if I want a better Diabetes plan?
About the Reviewer
Wes Ward
Founder & Data Lead
Wes Ward reviews all condition pages and methodology for data accuracy. Every CMS measure, prevalence statistic, and plan ranking goes through a validation pipeline before publication. We display only publicly available CMS and CDC data; you never need to enter personal information to see any of it.
With 25+ years in data analytics — including work with highly regulated genomic data at Ancestry.com — Wes brings enterprise-level rigor to healthcare transparency. He is also a co-founder of BestNeighborhood.org, CrimeGrade.org, and ISPReports.org. Those sister sites power the community-context section on this page.
Data sources: CMS Medicare Part C & D Star Ratings (2025), CDC PLACES (2025), CMS NPPES, CMS Physician Compare, CrimeGrade.org, BestNeighborhood.org, ISPReports.org. This page is for informational purposes only and is not medical advice. Always consult a licensed clinician about diabetes care management and verify plan details directly before enrolling. Read our full methodology → • Privacy policy
Medicare Resources
How to Choose a Medicare Plan
In-depth guide to plan types, Star Ratings, drug tiers, and costs.
Enrollment Checklist
Printable step-by-step guide to gather your info and enroll.
Enrollment Dates & Deadlines
Key periods, timelines, and penalty calculations.
Questions for Your Doctor
Printable list to discuss diabetes care management and Medicare with your physician.
Medicare Glossary
Definitions for 40+ complex Medicare terms.
Our Methodology
Learn how we source and verify CMS and CDC data.