Member satisfaction with commercial health plans has held nearly flat for a third consecutive year, even as rising premiums and deductibles continue to strain the member-plan relationship, according to J.D. Power’s 2026 U.S. Commercial Member Health Plan Study.
J.D. Power published its annual ranking of the top commercial health plan in each region on May 27. Now in its 20th year, the study measures satisfaction among members of 148 health plans in 22 regions based on eight dimensions including trust, digital channels, claims resolution and cost. This year’s results are based on responses from 37,768 commercial members surveyed from September 2025 through March 2026.
The study rates health plans on a 1,000-point scale. The average satisfaction score for commercial plans in 2026 is 562, down one point from 2025 and three points from 2024.
More than half of surveyed members saw their monthly premium rise this year, a shift the study linked to a 116-point drop in satisfaction. Another 34% faced higher annual deductibles, contributing to an 111-point decline. Claims resolution emerged as one of the clearest opportunities for plans to differentiate. Members who rated their claims experience as excellent scored 734 on satisfaction, compared to 404 among those who described it as good, just okay, or poor.
The top-ranked plan in each region in 2026:
- Virginia: Kaiser Foundation Health Plan (682)
- Maryland: Kaiser Foundation Health Plan (660)
- California: Kaiser Foundation Health Plan (640)
- South Atlantic: Kaiser Foundation Health Plan (638)
- East South Central: Aetna (615)
- Michigan: BCBS Michigan (614)
- Florida: Cigna (603), Florida Blue (603)
- New York: CDPHP (603)
- Northwest: Kaiser Foundation Health Plan (603)
- Texas: Baylor Scott & White Health Plan (604)
- Pennsylvania: UPMC Health Plan (599)
- Illinois/Indiana: BCBS Illinois (596)
- Delaware/West Virginia/Washington D.C.: Highmark BCBS Delaware (594)
- Northeast: Anthem BCBS Connecticut (590)
- Southwest: Anthem BCBS Nevada (584)
- Minnesota/Wisconsin: Quartz Health Plan (575)
- Massachusetts: BCBS Massachusetts (577)
- Ohio: Anthem BCBS Ohio (577)
- Heartland: BCBS Oklahoma (578), Wellmark BCBS (578)
- Mountain: Blue Cross of Idaho (601)
- New Jersey: Horizon BCBS New Jersey (580)
- Colorado: Kaiser Foundation Health Plan (560)
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