Medicare Advantage vs. Medicare and its Parts

There is a lot of confusion among many seniors as to what to do to make sure that they have as much medical coverage as possible in addition to basic Medicare.

Medicare covers a good number of medical issues, however, there are particular things such as prescriptions that a Medicare recipient must deal with as well. For instance, certain specialized medical services that are not covered under basic Medicare are a concern for many seniors. There are ways to make sure that coverage for them is in place.

The question that many seniors are asking is: Which is more affordable? Medicare plus some of the supplements such as Part B, C and D through J or a Medicare Advantage plan. The answer is that it depends.

Depending upon your situation, either choice could work for you, however it is important to make comparisons. That point cannot be stressed enough. Compare the cost Medicare Advantage plans with the Medicare parts that you need and that fit you best. In addition, compare prices with the various insurance companies in your state that sell Medicare advantage plans.

Comparing prices with various insurance companies is essential because all Medicare Advantage plans offer the same coverage. The difference is that all insurance companies offering these plans fix their own prices and as a result, you could pay twice or three times as much with company than with another for the same coverage.

One good thing about Medicare Advantage plans is that they roll Medicare Parts A, B, C and D into one premium. Then you can choose other Medicare Parts to fit your needs, but this is where you need to carefully compare premiums with all the companies available in your area. In many cases Medicare Advantage will be more cost effective than purchasing the separate Medicare Parts yourself. In other cases, it might not be necessary for you to purchase a Medicare Advantage plan because you don’t need a tremendous amount of supplemental coverage.

The important thing is to compare all your options. Depending on your situation, Medicare Advantage may be right for you or Medicare and a supplement may be right instead.

To get more information regarding Medicare and Medicare Supplements contact Medicare at www.medicare.gov.