If you want freedom to choose your doctors and other providers within your Medicare plan, and you want to avoid high out-of-pocket costs, then a Medicare Advantage plan might not be the best option for you.
Medicare Advantage plans are managed care plans.
This means they require you to use providers in their network, so if you have a favorite doctor or specialist or you want to receive care at a top hospital that’s not in their network, it will cost you more in the form of higher copays and coinsurances. In the case of most HMO Medicare Advantage plans, it’s not covered at all! You’re responsible for the total cost.
With some Medicare Advantage plans you’ll need a referral for any specialist care. According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, in 2020, 99% of Medicare Advantage enrollees were on plans that required prior authorization for some services.
On the other hand, Medicare Supplement Plans—also called Medigap—cover your choice of all providers that accept Medicare. That’s over 97% of all providers in the country. There’s no network restrictions because there is no network. Your plan won’t be discontinued if you pay your premiums and it’s guaranteed renewable. So if you’re looking for freedom of choice talk to us about finding a Medicare Supplement plan that’s right for you. Contact us now there’s no obligation and no pressure.
Out-of-Pocket Costs can be high with Medicare Advantage
If you want freedom from out-of-pocket costs from your Medicare plan, you may want to take a close look at Medicare Supplement plans versus Medicare Advantage. For example, with the most popular Medicare Supplement plans you pay only monthly premiums and the Part B annual deductible ($226/year in 2023). That’s it! Once you pay your annual deductible you’ve met your out-of-pocket obligation for the rest of the year, so you can always predict how much you’ll be spending…in sickness and in health. This means you only pay the annual deductible amount and after that Medicare and your Supplement Plan pay the rest…with no hassles and no back and forth.
Medicare Supplement/Medigap plans offer:
- Everything covered (except the $226 Part B deductible)
- No provider network restrictions
- No hassles
- No coverage changes year over year
- Predictable annual healthcare costs in sickness and health
Monthly premiums may be a bit higher than Medicare Advantage plans, but you get what you pay for. Medigap provides retirees with the most freedom to live life without stress from healthcare expenses and quality of care.
See our Medicare Supplement Plan Comparison Chart for more detailed information on how all the various Medicare Supplement Plans cover various aspects of your healthcare.