Medicare Advantage
Medicare provides affordable health coverage for senior citizens and individuals with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis or End-Stage Renal Disease. Original Medicare is the standard plan offered through government funds and consists of Part A hospital insurance and Part B medical insurance. If you need additional coverage for prescription medications, Part D prescription drug coverage can be added to your policy as well.
If you are looking for enhanced benefits, a Medicare Advantage plan may be more suitable for you. Medicare Advantage plans are an alternative option that offers the same benefits as Original Medicare, but some plans may provide additional coverage options that allow you more flexibility with your health care.
What Is Medicare Advantage?
Medicare Advantage plans are Medicare health plans that are serviced through private companies contracted with Medicare to provide you with benefits. With Medicare Advantage, your Medicare services aren’t paid by Medicare. Instead, your insurance provider pays those costs.
Medicare Advantage plans are required to offer the same benefits as Original Medicare. Therefore you will always receive both Part A and Part B benefits from a Medicare Advantage plan. If you need prescription drug coverage, you will not need to invest in a separate Part D plan either, as most Medicare Advantage plans also include prescription drug coverage.
Medicare Advantage Extra Benefits
Original Medicare does not provide comprehensive prescription drug coverage. If you need prescription drug benefits, Medicare Part D can provide you with affordable Unlike Original Medicare plans, Medicare Advantage plans sometimes offer additional benefits that can help you afford additional healthcare services. Some supplemental benefits you may find in a Medicare Advantage plan include the following:
- Routine hearing exams
- Routine vision exams
- Routine dental care
- Meal deliveries
- Transportation to medical appointments
- Expanded telehealth services
Working with Proinsurance Hawaii will help you find a plan that offers the most versatile benefits to suit your ever-changing health care needs. access to prescription medications that are prescribed to you by your health care providers.
If you choose to enroll in this optional benefit, Medicare will cover some of the costs for medications listed in their formulary. The formulary is a list of prescription drugs that are covered under the policy. Medicare Part D plans can choose which drugs they cover and place them into different tiers that determine their cost to the consumer.
Medicare Advantage Enrollment and Eligibility
To enroll in a Medicare Advantage Plan, you must have already enrolled in both Part A and Part B. After you have enrolled in Original Medicare, you will be eligible to enroll in a Medicare Advantage plan during one of the following enrollment periods:
- Initial Enrollment Period – A seven month period, including three months before your 65th birthday, your birth month, and the three months after your birth month.
- Fall Open Enrollment Period – October 15th through December 7th.
- Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment – From January 1st to March 31st, you can switch to a new Medicare Advantage Plan or return to Original Medicare, but you will not be able to switch from Original Medicare to Medicare Advantage.
Find a Medicare Advantage Plan
Don’t wait to figure out how you will secure your Medicare coverage. Contact Proinsurance Hawaii to learn more about Medicare Advantage and get started with a policy now.
