Agent Owner, Gilmore Insurance Services, Marysville, Washington State
That will depend on your needs. Medicare supplements and Medicare Advantage exist to fill the gaps in Medicare coverage. Medicare does not cover everything and the holes where it doesn't can be very expensive to the insured. So for greater coverage you can review Medicare Supplements and Advantage plans and see which one would best suit your needs. There are several choices in levels of coverage to choose from.
Perhaps the most basic difference between Medicare supplements and Advantage plans is choice of where to go. With a Medicare Supplement, the insured can choose whom to see, change their minds, see somebody else and not be hampered. Advantage plans pretty much will lock the insured in with a medical group until the next open enrollment period. The insured must go through that group for care. The coverage is based on using their care system. Emergencies would be the only exception.
Just a point of clarification to the +Larry Gilmore response . . .
Medicare Advantage plans replace original Medicare. A Medicare Advantage plan does not "fill the gaps in Medicare".
When you enroll in a Medicare Advantage plan you are no longer in original Medicare so any "gaps" in coverage are paid by you, the Advantage policyholder.
Medicare Advantage plans have many moving parts including deductibles, copay's and coinsurance. A large claim or numerous medical expenses will almost always result in much more out of pocket expenses under an Advantage plan than you will experience with original Medicare and a Medicare supplement (Medigap) plan.
.JPG){kind=avatar}
Perhaps the most basic difference between Medicare supplements and Advantage plans is choice of where to go. With a Medicare Supplement, the insured can choose whom to see, change their minds, see somebody else and not be hampered. Advantage plans pretty much will lock the insured in with a medical group until the next open enrollment period. The insured must go through that group for care. The coverage is based on using their care system. Emergencies would be the only exception.
Medicare Advantage plans replace original Medicare. A Medicare Advantage plan does not "fill the gaps in Medicare".
When you enroll in a Medicare Advantage plan you are no longer in original Medicare so any "gaps" in coverage are paid by you, the Advantage policyholder.
Medicare Advantage plans have many moving parts including deductibles, copay's and coinsurance. A large claim or numerous medical expenses will almost always result in much more out of pocket expenses under an Advantage plan than you will experience with original Medicare and a Medicare supplement (Medigap) plan.