Many folks nearing age 65 are still working and covered by an employer plan, so the notion of starting from scratch with Medicare may seem intimidating. At first glance, Medicare can appear to be an alphabet soup. There’s Original Medicare Parts A and B, Medicare Advantage Part C, Part D for prescription drugs and Medicare Supplement plans A-N. There’s also the Medicare Supplement insurance policy, which can help cover certain out-of-pocket costs (like deductibles and copays) for Original Medicare plans.
Whew! That’s a lot to consider. We’re here to break it down for you into manageable parts.
Tip 1: Know your Medicare options
In a nutshell, you can choose Original Medicare or a Medicare Advantage plan. This chart offers a helpful overview of the differences between them.
Keep in mind
When reviewing your options and comparing plans, here are some important questions to ask:
Cost
How much will you pay for premiums, deductibles, coinsurance and copayments?
Doctors and hospitals
Does the plan have a network? Do the healthcare providers you use accept the plan? Are your doctors in the plan’s network?
Benefits
Does the plan include prescription drug coverage or coverage for vision, dental and hearing care? Are these benefits important to you?
Your health history
How often have you needed care over the past few years? Are you fairly healthy or do you have a chronic condition that requires ongoing care? Do you anticipate that your healthcare needs will increase or stay about the same in the near future?
Tip 2: Use this chart to clarify your choices
Knowing what Original Medicare and Medicare Advantage plans cover is step 1. Step 2 is thinking about your own circumstances and what your specific personal needs might be.
As you can see from the chart, if you opt for Original Medicare, you may want to purchase a stand-alone prescription drug plan—called Medicare Part D—to cover prescription drugs. Part D has its own premiums, copays, coinsurance and deductibles separate from those for Original Medicare.
Most Medicare Advantage plans include prescription drug coverage.
On the other hand, Original Medicare may be your best choice if you travel a lot or have a second home, since there are no network restrictions.
Speaking of networks, Medicare Advantage provider networks have come a long way since they were introduced more than 30 years ago, but it’s a good idea to see if your doctor is in a plan’s network before committing.
Another factor to consider: Many Medicare Advantage plans offer coverage for vision, dental and hearing services—none of which are covered by Original Medicare.
Finally, consider whether a Medicare Supplement plan (or Medigap plan) has a place in your Medicare decision.
These plans are designed to help pay costs that Medicare Parts A and B don’t, including copays, deductibles and coinsurance. You can opt for Medicare, as well as a Medicare Supplement plan and a separate Part D plan, but you can't combine a Medicare Supplement plan with a Medicare Advantage plan.
If you feel that Medicare Advantage is a better fit for your needs and you’re eligible to enroll, the next step is choosing a plan.
Here are some things you’ll want to consider when comparing Medicare Advantage plans. As you’ll see once you begin shopping, the following information is easy to find on our enrollment pages:
- Which doctors and healthcare facilities are included in the plan’s network
- List of covered services
- Premium costs
- Copays and coinsurance
- Deductible amount
- Annual out-of-pocket maximum and coverage limits, if any
Relax! Choosing a Medicare plan is not a lifelong commitment. You can review your plan choices each year during the fall
Annual Election Period (Oct. 15 through Dec. 7), so if your needs change, your plan can too.
