What is Medicare Advantage?
Medicare Advantage plans (also called Medicare Part C) provide the same coverage as Medicare Part A and Part B, and most offer additional benefits at no extra cost. Enrollment may be limited to certain times of the year unless you qualify for a Special Enrollment Period.
Many plans include prescription drug coverage.
Many plans may include dental, vision or hearing coverage.
$0 or low premium and $0 deductible plans may be available in your area.
What should I know about Medicare Advantage Plans?
- You can only be in one Medicare Advantage Plan at a time.
- You can join a plan even if you have a pre-existing condition.
In many cases, you’ll need to use health care providers in the plan’s network. Providers can join or leave a plan’s network anytime during the year. Your plan can also change the providers in the network anytime during the year. If this happens, you may need to choose a new provider.
Your plan will notify you that your provider is leaving your plan so you have time to choose a new one. You’ll get this notice if it’s a primary care or behavioral health provider and you have gone to that provider in the past three years. If any of your other providers leave your plan, you’ll get this notice in certain situations. Your plan will also:
- Help you choose a new provider to continue managing your health care needs.
- Help you continue needed care that’s already in progress.
- Notify you about the different enrollment periods available to you and options you may have for changing plans.
- When an in-network provider or benefit isn’t available or can’t meet your medical needs, most plans will help you get any medically necessary care outside the provider network (at the in-network cost sharing).
- Some plans offer non-emergency coverage out of network, but it usually costs more.
- Plans set a limit on what you’ll have to pay out of pocket each year for covered services.
Remember, you must use the card from your Medicare Advantage Plan to get your Medicare-covered services. Keep your red, white, and blue Medicare card in a safe place because you may need it for some services, or if you ever switch back to Original Medicare.
Types of Medicare Advantage Plans:
Health Maintenance Organizations (HMOs) Preferred Provider Organizations (PPOs) Special Needs Plans (SNPs) Medicare Medical Savings Accounts (MSAs) Private Fee-for-Service Plans (PFFS)This is an advertisement. Not all plans offer all of these benefits. Availability of benefits and plans varies by carrier and location. Deductibles, copays, coinsurance, limitations, and exclusions may apply. Enrollment in the described plan type may be limited to certain times of the year unless you qualify for a Special Enrollment Period.