Original Medicare is government-sponsored health insurance that includes Medicare Part A (hospital insurance) and Part B (medical Insurance).
Medicare also offers Part D (prescription coverage) if you need prescription drug coverage.
Benefits that aren’t available with Original Medicare (Part A and Part B) are often provided through Medicare Advantage (Part C) plans.
How Does a Medicare Advantage Plan Work?
Medicare is available to qualified Americans with certain disabilities or health conditions over the age of 65. To qualify for Medicare, you must either be a citizen or legal permanent resident of the U.S. for 5 continuous years or more.
Medicare Advantage in Michigan is an “all-in-one” alternative to Original Medicare offered by private companies who are approved by Medicare.
Medicare Advantage plans in Michigan may offer benefits like routine dental, vision, hearing and/or prescription drug coverage. However, every Medicare Advantage plan in Michigan varies and may not offer the same extra coverage, deductibles and copayments.
What Does a Medicare Advantage Plan Cover?
As mentioned, Medicare Advantage (MA) plans generally offer benefits for things Original Medicare doesn’t cover such as vision, dental, hearing, prescription drugs, and health supplies.
Medicare Advantage plans can also choose to cover more benefits such as transportation to doctor visits, over-the-counter drugs, and services that promote health and wellness (like gym memberships or discounts).
In addition, Medicare Advantage plans can tailor their coverage packages to enrollees who are chronically-ill in order to treat their specific conditions.
What are the Costs of Medicare Advantage Plans?
Keep in mind that insurance companies offer varying premium amounts, amounts which may differ from county to county in Michigan.
Contrary to what people may believe, many of the "zero" dollar plans often come with little copays, and low/no deductibles.
In addition, many, but not all, of the $0 Medicare Advantage plans have identical copays as the plans that have higher premiums per month.
Just because insurance companies put a high price tag on a plan doesn't necessarily mean that you're getting more coverage. Going through an insurance company to get your MA coverage could cost you more when you're essentially getting the same benefits.
It's also important to note that Medicare consultants like us get paid the same, whether or not our clients purchase pricier plans.
That's one of the reasons you can trust Your Local Medicare Help's team to find the right plans that fit your exact needs, without driving you to spend more.
Medicare Advantage in Michigan
Medicare beneficiaries may choose to enroll in a Part C plan to get their Part A and Part B benefits through Medicare Advantage, rather than directly through the government.
There are some remarkable differences between the benefits offered through Original Medicare versus Medicare Advantage plans.
One difference is the annual maximum out-of-pocket limit that Medicare Advantage includes, so their members only pay up to a certain amount for their coverage each year.
Here are the other differences:
Trying to decide on a Medicare Advantage plan in any state is challenging because there are various plans with various benefits out there.
If you’re struggling to decide on a Medicare Advantage plan in Michigan, it’s useful to start with a list of all of your medical needs to determine which benefits need to be included in your plans.
Instead of searching for the best Medicare Advantage Plan in Michigan on your own, Your Local Medicare Help can find the right plan to fit your exact needs.
Give yourself peace of mind and trust Your Local Medicare Help to assist you in finding the Medicare Advantage plan you need to live the life you want.