Original Medicare is offered by the federal government and is made up of Part A and Part B. It covers 80% of covered services, meaning Medicare patients enrolled in Original Medicare are responsible for paying 20% out of pocket with no cap. 

Original Medicare also does not cover prescription drugs, vision, dental, or hearing. For Medicare patients who want this additional coverage, there are a couple of choices available.

Hear from Medicare patients, an AHN provider and licensed insurance agents about how AHN + Medicare is a partnership for better wellness.

To cap out of pocket expenses, Medicare enrollees can sign up for a Medigap plan, but Medigap does not provide coverage for prescriptions. To get prescription coverage with a Medigap plan, enrollees will need a Part D plan, as well.

The other option is a Medicare Advantage plan (also known as Part C), which combines Part A and Part B and often includes prescription coverage (Part D) and other benefits not offered by Original Medicare, including vision, dental, hearing, and even transportation.

Improved health: Medicare Advantage plans support your primary care doctor’s care plan. They help ensure you get preventive care like wellness visits, tests, checkups and vaccines. With Medicare Advantage plans, members are often healthier and need less acute and chronic care.

Cost savings: Medicare Advantage limits the total amount you pay for covered services. With Original Medicare, you pay 20% of the cost for covered services, with no limit to your total costs. You can buy a supplement plan to help with those costs. And you can add a Medicare Part D plan to cover prescription drugs. But a Medicare Advantage plan may offer you everything you need, all in one plan. Be sure to look carefully at your choices, so you can find a plan that best fits your needs.

A Medicare supplement insurance plan (Medigap policy) is not a Medicare Advantage plan. Medicare supplement plans are health insurance policies and are secondary to Original Medicare. Medicare Advantage plans combine Original Medicare Parts A and B, and sometimes Part D, into a single plan.

Medicare Advantage has you covered. Medicare Advantage plans must cover all the services that Original Medicare covers, and may offer additional benefits. Hospice care is still covered under Original Medicare. You may also receive more benefits if you have TRICARE for Life or VA coverage.

You have a built-in financial safety net. Your plan’s annual out-of-pocket maximum is your safety net that ensures you’ll never pay more than a certain amount out of pocket in a given plan year for covered medical services.

Each year, from October 15th through December 7th, Medicare enrollees have the option to pick a Medicare Advantage plan or switch plans. The changes go into effect on January 1st, after which enrollees have until March 31st to change your plan or revert back to Original Medicare.

We understand that selecting a Medicare plan can be confusing – but we want to make sure you have access to the highest quality of healthcare for the most economical cost. To help, we will regularly have friendly, trusted agents in our waiting room areas over the next few months. Their job is to help you understand your various options and find a plan that fits your needs.

If you’d like to speak with a licensed agent, click the button to learn about your options for coverage.

¹The Coalition for Medicare Choices. 2 million seniors and The Coalition for Medicare Choices mobilize to support Medicare Advantage. medicarechoices.org/2-million-seniors-and-the-coalition-for-medicare-choices-mobilize-to-support-medicare-advantage/. Published January 31, 2018. Accessed February 15, 2019.

²Better Medicare Alliance. Seniors highly satisfied with Medicare Advantage. bettermedicarealliance.org/newsroom/press-releases/seniors-highly-satisfied-medicare-advantage. Published March 11, 2015. Accessed February 15, 2019.