Original Medicare vs. Medicare Advantage
Medicare
covers many of your health care needs. Today’s Medicare is working with
private companies' health plans to provide different ways to get your health
care coverage in the Medicare program. The Medicare health plan that you
choose affects many things like cost, benefits, doctor choice, convenience,
and quality. Your Medicare health plan choices include:
·
The Original
Medicare Plan – This is a fee-for-service plan that covers many health care
services and certain drugs. You can go to any doctor or hospital that
accepts Medicare. When you get your health care, you use your red, white,
and blue
Medicare card.
The
Original
Medicare Plan pays for many health care services and supplies, but it
doesn’t pay all of your health care costs. There are costs that you must
pay, like coinsurance, copayments, and deductibles. These costs are called
“gaps” in Medicare coverage. You might want to consider buying a
Medigap or Medicare Supplement policy to cover these gaps in Medicare
coverage. You can also add prescription drug coverage by joining a
Medicare Prescription Drug Plan.
For more
information on the Original Medicare Plan, visit the
What is Medicare? section of this website.
For more
information on the Medicare Advantage Plans visit the
What is Medicare Advantage? section of this website.
·
Medicare
Advantage Plans
– Available in many areas. If you have one of these plans, you don’t need a
Medigap policy. These plans include:
