Is a Medicare Advantage Plan the right choice for you?

Most people understand the basics about Medicare; that Medicare is a federal health insurance program managed by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) in which the government pays your Medicare benefits when you receive them. However, many people do not have a clear understand of Medicare Advantage Plans and how they work.

Basically, Medicare Advantage Plans are a different way for you to get your Medicare benefits. Advantage Plans, are offered by private insurance companies that have been approved by Medicare. Medicare pays these companies to cover your Medicare benefits and in turn, these companies must follow rules set by Medicare.
Medicare Advantage Plans provide the same coverage as Original Medicare.* In addition, many Medicare Advantage Plans offer extra coverage like vision, hearing, dental, and health and wellness programs. Many Plans include Medicare prescription drug coverage (Part D). All Medicare Advantage Plans cover you for emergency and urgent care services as well.

You must have Medicare Part A and Part B and live in the Medicare Advantage Plan’s service area to be eligible to join.

In addition to your Part B premium, you usually pay one monthly premium for the services included in a Medicare Advantage Plan. The total cost of the premiums, copayments and deductibles you pay under a Medicare Advantage Plan is often lower than those same total costs through Original Medicare.

A number of companies offer Plans with “zero premiums.” Although you pay no premiums to the Advantage Plan, you are still responsible for payment of your Medicare Part B premium.
Now, during Medicare’s Annual Open Enrollment Period, is the time for you to look into your Advantage Plan options. You’ll want to talk to a trusted insurance professional who can help you compare plans to determine which Plan is best for you. At Mutsko Insurance Services, we routinely provide our customers with comparisons to help them select the right Plan.

For more information on Medicare Advantage Plans, Medicare Supplements or Medicare Prescription Plans, please contact Laura Mutsko at Mutsko Insurance Services, LLC, 6966 Spinach Drive in Mentor, OH. Call 440-255-5700 or email lmutsko@mutskoinsurance.com.

*An exception is hospice care. Original Medicare covers hospice care for those in a Medicare Advantage Plan.