Why is regular Medicare better than an advantage plan?
Answered by 11 licensed agents
There's a lot of confusion with Medicare-Medicare Supplement/Medigap/-Medicare Advantage "alphabet soup"! Do your homework and learn the Pros and Cons of each Option! Work with someone -like ME-who can offer both: Medicare Supplement/Medigap and Medicare Advantage plans! This was you get the FACTS not the HYPE and then make the best decision for YOU! :) WE can HELP!
Regular Medicare is not better than an Advantage plan. The main reason Original Medicare (OM) is considered better than an Advantage plan is that it is accepted by most hospitals and doctors whereas an Advantage plan is limited to a network of care.
Answered by William Lawler on April 7, 2025
Broker Licensed in MO, FL, IA & 12 other states
Generally speaking, there are more benefits to having a Medicare Advantage Plan than to stay in Original Medicare. Dental, vision, and hearing benefits are not covered by Original Medicare and Medicare Advantage Plans often offer different levels of these benefits. With Original Medicare you'll have out of pocket expenses unless you purchase a separate plan like a Medicare Supplement, and a separate Prescription Drug Plan. A Medicare Advantage Plan typically includes your Prescription drug plan. The one benefit to having Original Medicare versus an Advantage Plan is the doctor and hospital network. With Original Medicare, you can see any doctor and be treated at any hospital that accepts Medicare. With an Advantage Plan, you would need to make sure your doctors and your preferred hospital are in the network.
Answered by Diane Andree on April 10, 2025
Agent Licensed in NY
Regular Medicare has a larger physician network than advantage plans. For regular Medicare, the network includes any doctors that accept Medicare patients. Advantage plans limit coverage to those doctors that participate in plan's network. Regular Medicare partnered with a Medicare supplement may pay for most or all deductibles depending on age when enrolled in the supplement. The trade-off is the there is a monthly premium for the supplement while many advantage plans can be enrolled with little or no monthly premium. A licensed insurance agent can identify what plan options are best for your individual financial situation.
Answered by Frank Buonomo on March 31, 2025
Agent Licensed in NV, CA, NM & OR
Making the choice between regular Medicare with Medigap/Medicare Supplement or a Medicare Advantage Plan depends on individual healthcare needs, preferences, and financial situations. Regular Medicare with Medigap/Medicare Supplement provides notable advantages in terms of flexibility, coverage, predictability, and support. Choosing to prioritize these factors you may find regular Medicare with Medigap/Medicare Supplement to be a superior option. Understanding the differences and benefits of each choice is essential for making an informed decision about healthcare coverage.
Answered by Mark Cunningham on April 7, 2025
Agent Licensed in CO, FL, NE & WY
There is actually no such thing as "Regular Medicare". People know that there are two options when one turns age 65: A) a Medigap, also known as a Medicare Supplement and, B) a MAPD, a.k.a., as a Medicare Advantage Plan (with drug coverage). There is no cookie-cutter answer to choosing one over another since one's finances come into play, along with any potential health history of the applicant and her/his family history for "co-morbidities". If your parents lived a long life, that usually means you're ahead of the game, if you will. The major difference with an Advantage plan is though there is no monthly premium for this plan (since it is govt-subsidized), the give & take is that each MAPD has a steep deductible which you are responsible for which renews every single year. The dollar costs for these plans are dependent upon our global inflation. The Medigap, with a monthly premium has no deductible except for the one-time/year Part B $257.00 deductible. Each and every deductible will be likely to change at the new calendar year. Remember: an MAPD Advantage plan usually includes your drug coverage, whereas a Medicare Supplement plan has nothing whatsoever to do your prescriptions. That's what a "Stand-Alone" Part D plan is used for.
Do you like having the choice and control of your health care? Do you prefer that you can see any doctor, in any city, in any specialty and capacity, as YOUR CHOICE? Do you want coverage when you travel? Do you want to know that once you choose Original Medicare and a Supplement, you will never be fully responsible for a total bill? The MA plan today, may not be there tomorrow, and the doctor who accepts it today, may not accept it tomorrow!
Yes, MA makes it sound nice with glasses, teeth cleaning, maybe even a grocery card, but you then give them control of your health completely. So please consider that in your thinking.
Good luck!
Answered by Norman Smith on April 19, 2025
Agent Licensed in FL & PA
I cant say that it is. If you have Original Medicare then you pay 20% of your bills and no drug coverage. If you get a supplement or Medigap to cover the 20% and a drug card then it will Cover your 20%. However the premiums are higher and they do go up every year. It is only medical coverage. ( no dental or vision) It allows you go to anyone who accepts Medicare.
Medicare Advantage has to cover the exact same things as original Medicare. So they myth that they cover less is not accurate. It is a law they have to cover the same things but they also cover more. An example is many have Dental , Eye , hearing and over the counter coverage that original Medicare does not. They come in forms of PPO's so you can use them anywhere that accepts Medicare and you can use them out of state and country. The network is typically large. The Doctors now have to bill the carrier you picked and not Medicare. It does NOT replace Medicare. Nothing can replace your Medicare.
Some States vary on this. Some states and counties just don't have access to Medicare advantage. In that instance, you will need a medigap.
The Medicare Advantage is also Guarantee Issue : Which means everyone is accepted regardless of medical back ground. Supplemental or Original Medicare you have to be medically approved or healthy to be accepted unless you are in your original enrollment period.
Answered by Tasha Riggs on April 12, 2025
Broker Licensed in CO, AZ, HI & 10 other states
Maybe you mean, why is a Medicare Supplement better than a Medicare Advantage plan? There are pros and cons depending on your needs. I would recommend you speak with your local licensed agent to find out what your needs are and to give you a thorough overview of the differences.
Answered by Dana Dane on April 3, 2025
Agent Licensed in OR, AZ, CA & 6 other states
Regular Medicare offers more freedom and flexibility in choosing providers and is generally considered more comprehensive, but can be more expensive.
Medicare Advantage plans can be more affordable and offer extra benefits, but may have restrictions on provider choice and require prior authorization.
Answered by Fred Manas on April 14, 2025
Agent Licensed in NY, CT, DC & 7 other states
Regular Medicare is not necessarily "better" than an Advantage Plan. There are too many variables and the insurance coverage that makes the most sense is situational to each person. If an agent offers the blanket statement that either direction is overall "better" for everyone, run the other way.
Answered by Josh Vojtush on April 21, 2025
Broker Licensed in OH, FL, IL & MI, NC, SC & VA
Tags:
Medicare Advantage
Medicare Part A
Medicare Part B
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