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Medicare Advantage plans are alternatives to Original Medicare.
Medicare Advantage plans are different.
Sometimes referred to as Medicare Part C or MA plans, these plans are an alternative to Original Medicare Parts A and B. These plans have many things in common with Original Medicare, but they may also offer expanded benefits that aren’t available otherwise.
What is a Medicare Advantage plan?
These are plans that usually act as a bundle for Medicare Parts A and B. In many cases, they may also include Part D and prescription drug benefits. Some plans may also include vision, hearing, and dental plans, making them more attractive than Original Medicare, which does not offer these benefits.
INTERACTIVE GRAPHIC
Get health coverage for your unique situation.
When you’re retired, unable to work due to disability, or have end-stage renal disease, your options for health coverage become much more limited. Medicare is available to most people aged 65 or older who have paid Medicare taxes while working, as well as some younger people with disabilities or end-stage renal disease. The program is currently administered by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.
Note: Actual policies must be consulted for specific terms and conditions.
Understand the Medicare options.
Perhaps one of the more surprising and often confusing things about Medicare is that it’s divided into four parts, and each part covers something different. The different parts of Medicare are Part A, Part B, Part C (Medicare Advantage), and Part D. Medicare Parts A and B are sometimes referred to as Original Medicare. Your health needs will help determine which parts you need or qualify for.
Note: Actual policies must be consulted for specific terms and conditions.
Prepare for end-of-life expenses.
Funerals and other end-of-life expenses can be significant, costing your loved ones a lot of money. Unfortunately, Medicare only covers medically-necessary expenses, meaning those needed to diagnose or treat a condition or illness, and funerals don’t fall into that category. That’s where final expense insurance comes in. You can typically get a plan for a relatively low cost without a medical exam. Final expense insurance isn’t part of Medicare, but it can help cover expenses such as embalming, cremation, hearse fees, and more that Medicare does not cover.
Note: Actual policies must be consulted for specific terms and conditions.
There are limitations to your Medicare coverage.
While it may seem like Medicare covers many of your medical needs, there are some things that it doesn’t. For instance, dental, vision, and hearing visits and treatments are typically not covered. Long-term custodial care is also not covered. These health expenses would need to be paid out-of-pocket or via a supplemental insurance policy. In addition, if you’re interested in any cosmetic medical procedures or procedures outside of the US, those typically aren’t covered either.
Note: Actual policies must be consulted for specific terms and conditions.
Boost your Medicare plan with supplemental coverage.
Medicare supplement plans, also known as Medigap, are optional coverage plans available to individuals who have both Medicare Parts A and B who want to supplement their Medicare coverage. These supplement plans can help cover more of the out-of-pocket costs of your health expenses, including copayments, coinsurance, and deductibles. However, as of 2006, Medigap plans do not provide prescription drug coverage and often don’t cover long-term care, hearing, dental, or vision-related expenses
Note: Actual policies must be consulted for specific terms and conditions.
Get coverage for hospital-related expenses.
Medicare Part A covers many hospital-related expenses. These could include hospital stays, hospice, stays in a psychiatric facility, and even home health care in some instances. However, it’s important to note that there are limitations on some of the coverages, such as psychiatric care and long-term care.
Note: Actual policies must be consulted for specific terms and conditions.
Learn about enrollment, costs, and more.
You become eligible to enroll in Medicare at 65 and must enroll during specific enrollment windows. Part A is available at no cost to individuals and their spouses who have paid Medicare taxes for at least ten years. Those who cannot receive it free may be eligible for Part A coverage and pay a premium for it. Medicare Part A will pay a portion of the costs associated with a hospital stay, but there are limits and caps to that coverage based on factors like your length of stay and the treatments you receive.
Note: Actual policies must be consulted for specific terms and conditions.
Get coverage for your non-hospital expenses.
Medicare Part B is perhaps easiest to understand as the opposite of Part A. It covers many medical expenses that are not associated with hospital stays, including doctor visits, some outpatient care, and more. For instance, Medicare Part B can cover ambulance rides, vaccines, and certain health screenings. Similar to Part A, there are limitations on certain coverages to take note of.
Note: Actual policies must be consulted for specific terms and conditions.
Pay attention to the premiums you’ll have to pay.
Unlike Part A, Part B requires you to pay a premium, and enrollment in the program is voluntary. Enrollment for Part B typically coincides with Part A, but you must still enroll during specific windows. Part B can cover some of the costs associated with diagnosis, treatment, and preventative care. Similar to private insurance, most preventative services are provided at no cost. However, many other services are typically subject to a deductible and coinsurance.
Note: Actual policies must be consulted for specific terms and conditions.
Medicare Part C offers another option for your needs.
Also known as Medicare Advantage, Medicare Part C plans are often considered the alternative to Original Medicare. You need both Medicare Parts A and B to join a Medicare Advantage plan. Medicare Part C usually has the same rules as Medicare Parts A and B, but their out-of-pocket costs may differ, and you may have to seek different avenues for care than you would under Original Medicare. Unlike Medicare Parts A and B, Part C can sometimes offer prescription drug coverage.
Note: Actual policies must be consulted for specific terms and conditions.
Get coverage for prescription drugs.
If you have both Medicare Part A and Part B, you could enroll in Medicare Part D as an optional coverage through a private insurance company. Part D helps to cover some of the costs associated with prescription medication. Similar to private health insurance, the price of your prescriptions depends on a number of factors, including the formulary, the “tier” your drug falls under, the pharmacy you use, and more. You’ll pay a premium for this coverage, and charges will be subject to a deductible and coinsurance. After a certain amount is spent, you may enter the coverage gap, or “donut hole,” where the plan won’t pay any benefits. If you incur significant expenses, you may get past this gap and move into “catastrophic coverage,” where you’ll pay very little for your prescriptions.
Note: Actual policies must be consulted for specific terms and conditions.
Consider extended coverage for your hospital stay.
Even though Medicare Part A and Medicare Advantage provide coverage for many of your hospital stay expenses, you are still responsible for some out-of-pocket costs, which can add up quickly. A hospital indemnity plan can help supplement your Medicare Part A or Medicare Advantage coverage. Although these plans will differ from one company to another, they often provide a cash benefit for every day you are in the hospital within your chosen benefit period, which can help cover the out-of-pocket costs you incur.
Note: Actual policies must be consulted for specific terms and conditions.
If you don’t qualify for Medicare yet, there may be a solution.
The Affordable Care Act (ACA) and short-term medical plans may offer you the health coverage you need. ACA differs from short-term medical insurance, so it’s important to consider your needs when choosing between the two. ACA is subject to federal regulations that mandate minimum coverage, and you can’t be turned away because of a pre-existing condition, which can result in higher premiums. Short-term medical plans typically have lower premiums, but they have more limitations on your coverage, and you can be turned away based on your health.
Note: Actual policies must be consulted for specific terms and conditions.
You’ll need to look into standalone plans.
Unfortunately, Medicare plans only cover expenses that are considered medically necessary. That means most of your dental, vision, and hearing needs—including dental exams and procedures, vision exams and glasses, and hearing aids, for example—are not covered under Medicare, and only a handful of Medicare Advantage plans may provide this kind of coverage. You’ll need to turn to standalone plans offered by private insurance companies to fill the gaps in your Medicare plan. You can often find plans where these policies are bundled together, or you can choose to get separate plans.
Note: Actual policies must be consulted for specific terms and conditions.
What are the benefits of a Medicare Advantage plan?
In addition to the expanded coverage noted above, there are other reasons a person may choose to enroll in an Advantage plan. While Original Medicare requires you to see a Medicare provider, some Advantage plans allow for out-of-network coverage, although this tends to cost more. Unlike Original Medicare, Advantage plans often have limits on out-of-pocket costs, which can take some of the guesswork out of anticipating expenses for those on a fixed income. Here are more examples of benefits:
- Plans may cost less.
- Plans may offer more coverage options.
- Plans may combine health and prescription coverage.
How do Medicare Advantage plans work?
These plans contract with Medicare and also follow the Medicare rules and regulations. They are also reimbursed by the United States government. These plans can charge different premiums, copays, and deductibles than Original Medicare, and these will often differ from plan to plan. The plans are provided through private insurance companies, which allows someone who has Parts A, B, and D to have all their coverage managed by one company.
Additional things to know about Medicare Advantage.
It is possible to buy an Advantage plan that does not include prescription drug coverage. If you enroll in one that does not, such as a Medical Savings Account plan or a fee-for-service plan, you can still enroll in a separate Part D plan. However, if your Advantage plan does offer prescription drug coverage and you enroll in a separate Part D plan, you’ll be disenrolled from your Advantage plan and be placed into Original Medicare.
Medicare Advantage and Medicare supplement plans.
Advantage plans do not work with Medigap (Medicare Supplement Insurance) plans. Medigap plans are designed to cover out-of-pocket costs like deductibles, coinsurance, and copayments of Original Medicare. They cannot pay for the out-of-pocket costs of Medicare Advantage plans.
If you’d like to explore your options with Medicare Advantage plans, contact us to learn more.
