Medicare Advantage: One Way to Receive Your Medicare Benefits.

One plan that bundles your Medicare

Medicare Advantage is also called Part C. It is offered by private insurance companies approved by Medicare. You must have both Part A and Part B to join, and you generally need to live in the plan's service area.

Most Medicare Advantage plans include Part D prescription drug coverage. Many also offer benefits Original Medicare does not generally cover, such as routine dental, vision and hearing care. Depending on the plan, other supplemental benefits—such as an over-the-counter (OTC) allowance—may be available.

HMO or PPO? The network matters.

HMO — Health Maintenance Organization

You generally receive covered care from doctors and hospitals in the plan's network, except for situations such as emergencies and urgent care. Depending on the plan, referrals or other plan rules may apply.

PPO — Preferred Provider Organization

PPO plans generally give you more flexibility to use providers outside the network, but you will usually pay more when you do. Plan rules and costs vary.

How do the costs work?

Medicare Advantage plans set their own cost-sharing for covered services. You may have a copay or coinsurance for primary care, specialists, hospital stays, outpatient procedures or other services. Every Medicare Advantage plan has an annual limit on what you pay out of pocket for covered Part A and Part B services.

Extra Benefits Can Be Valuable—but They Should Not Choose the Plan for You.

Dental, vision, hearing, OTC and other supplemental benefits can be useful. But the biggest advertised benefit is not always the most important one. We should first make sure your doctors participate, your prescriptions are covered, and the medical cost-sharing works for you.

Before choosing a plan, I check: