When you are new to Medicare, or when you’re looking to switch from your current plan to a different one, there is absolutely no denying the fact that you can get quite overwhelmed with all the information and all the options that exist out there. Among other things, you will have to choose between Original Medicare and Medicare Advantage, and chances are that you won’t really know where to begin or how to decide. Clearly, you’re curious about the Medical Advantage plans, but with so many different information regarding premiums and the extra benefits, you are sure to find yourself quite confused.
Here’s a quick definition of this particular option: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medicare_Advantage
The above means that you have quite some questions on your mind. And, of course, since we are talking about your health plan, there is absolutely no doubt that you don’t want to make any final choices before getting your facts straight. That is, before getting a better understanding of it all.
To put things even more simply, you don’t want to make any decisions before you get answers to those important questions you have on your mind right now. And, what you want to know here is what Medicare Advantage actually is, what the benefits of the plan are, as well as how to find a good one for you if you decide to do so. Well, if you’re ready to get your answers, then you should simply keep on reading and thus find out everything you need to know about this.
What Are Medicare Advantage Plans?
Unsurprisingly, we are going to begin with the most basic question – that is, we are first going to ensure that you understand what Medicare Advantage is in the first place. There would be no point in talking about the benefits, as I’m sure you understand, or about choosing the right option for you, if you don’t really know what these kinds of plans entail to begin with. So, let us cut right to the chase and make things clear.
First of all, you probably already know that this is an alternative to Original Medicare. To be more precise, a Medicare Advantage plan, which is also referred to as Medicare Part C, is a plan offered by private insurance companies that have an agreement with Medicare to provide you with the health coverage you need. Now, let us get a bit more specific about all of this.
Basically, when you enroll in this plan, you will still have Medicare, you will still be paying your part B premium, and Medicare will actually pay the private insurance company to manage those benefits of yours. And, that insurance company becomes your main point of contact for anything healthcare related, from the costs to the benefits. I suppose you get how it all works.
What is it, though, that is covered through these particular plans? Well, the good news is that the insurance companies are required by law to provide at least the same coverage as the Original plans. And that includes Part A, consisting of hospital care, as well as Part B, consisting of doctor visits, outpatient care, as well as preventive services.
Yet, there would be no point to switching to this if it simply covered the same things as the Original plan. This means that most of those private insurance companies go beyond that, offering prescription drug coverage, vision coverage, dental and hearing care, fitness benefits, chiropractic care, telehealth services, 24/7 nurse hotlines, and even transportation to medical appointments. You can see, thus, that it comes with quite a lot of benefit that you should absolutely take into account when trying to decide if you want to switch to this particular solution. Go here to learn a bit more about it.
What Are the Benefits?
But, what exactly are the benefits? Let me quickly explain. Apart from the more comprehensive coverage, as talked about above, you also get to enjoy lower out-of-pocket maximums, as well as predictable costs, which makes budgeting easier. I am sure you understand how important that is for your health plan, especially if you are on a fixed income.
How to Find a Good One for You?
Okay, now that you get what Medicare Advantage plans are, what they encompass, and what the actual benefits are, what you want to do next is figure out how to really find the right one for yourself. Well, as you may have guessed it already, the idea is for you to find the right private insurance company that has a contract with Medicare, and that can, therefore, provide you with what you need. So, check out more of them, researching their plans, and also inspecting their reputation and getting any kind of info you need, so that you can then compare all your findings and make a smart choice.
