Why might Original Medicare with a Part D plan be better than a Medicare Advantage plan for frequent travelers?
Answered by 11 licensed agents
It really isn't since original Medicare only pays 80%, the member is responsible for 20% of everything which can become costly. and you have to PAY for Part D every month & pay for your medication. A Medicare Advantage Plan includes drug coverage with Tiers 1 & 2 usually $0 costs , depending g on the plan
Original Medicare combined with a Part D prescription drug plan offers flexibility, nationwide access, and consistent coverage, making it an excellent choice for frequent travelers. Unlike Medicare Advantage plans, which are often geographically limited and depend on specific provider networks, Original Medicare with Part D ensures you can access care and prescriptions anywhere in the United States without restrictions.
You might want to have a Medicare Supplement Plan along with a Stand Alone Part D plan so you don't have any limitations. Meaning you can go anywhere see any doctors as long as they accept Medicare. You will have to pay a monthly premium for your Medicare Supplement Plan along with your Stand Alone Part D Drug Plan. Which I can go over that with you based on your age, gender, county, and state.
Medicare Advantage plans utilize networks to help keep costs down, while Original Medicare is taken by any provider that accepts Medicare. However, emergency room and urgent care visits are generally covered anywhere in the US on Medicare Advantage plans. Also, many large Medicare Advantage plans now have nationwide PPO networks, so that even for routine, non-emergent or non-urgent care, a member only needs to call his/her customer service number to find a local in-network provider when out of town.
Because you never have to worry about ANY network restrictions. You can use Medicare in all 50 states and US territories. So if you're a frequest traveler or have residences in multiple states, having straight Medicare and a supplement(Medi-Gap)makes getting care much easier.
Most drug plans have very large national retailers in their network. So getting prescriptions in other states is easy with a stand alone Part D drug plan or through a Medicare Advantage plan.
Original Medicare with a Part D plan might be a better choice than a Medicare Advantage (MA) plan for frequent travelers for several key reasons: Nationwide coverage and Provider flexibility. If you travel often Original Medicare with Part D gives you the broadest, most flexible access to care across the US without having to worry about networks, service areas, or referral hoops.
Original Medicare can be used in all 50 states, as well as in the District of Columbia, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. The same isn’t true for Medicare Advantage plans. These plans have defined service areas and may not cover out-of-state care, with the exception of emergency and urgent care situations.
If you are a frequent traveler, original medicare will travel with you to any state and can see any doctor that accepts original medicare. A medicare advantage plan is usually confined to a network of doctors in the area/zip code you reside in.
In general, one might say that . It’s because you don’t have to worry about networks . However that also applies on ppo advantage vs hmos . Talking with a good broker who offers multiple choices allows you to make the decision of which you may prefer.
With Original Medicare, you may go to any facility that accepts Medicare. With a Medicare Advantage Plan, you may be limited to facilities outside of your service area.
