Which Medicare Coverage Type is Right For Me? Medicare Advantage or Medigap: Which coverage type is best for me? Are there other coverage types?

There are different ways to have Medicare insurance coverage, and each is different in what is covered and what is not, and different in what you pay in premiums and what you may need to pay out of pocket.

First, let us outline the different types of Medicare coverage, and then we’ll simplify which one(s) to consider based on your personal circumstances.

What are my coverage type options?

• Original Medicare (A & B) only (No drug coverage)

• Original Medicare (A & B), and Add Medigap plan coverage

• Original Medicare (A & B), and Add Part D – Drug plan

• Original Medicare (A & B), and Add both a Part D – Drug plan AND a Medigap plan

• Medicare Advantage – HMO Plan

• Medicare Advantage – PPO Plan

Which Medicare coverage type is right for you? This depends on your personal circumstances, considering mainly the following:

• New to Medicare (1st time enrolling) or already enrolled and considering switching coverage

• Your health status

• See only preferred doctors, OR open to changing primary care if it saves money

• Snowbird or travel out of state (or out of country), OR travel a few times per year or less

• 2 or less prescription drugs, OR multiple prescription drugs

Step 1:

Think about your personal circumstances (health, doctors, drugs, travel, etc.), and look at this table illustration below.

NOTE: It’s easiest to understand the table by reading the bulleted phrases BY COLUMN, starting at the top and reading down the column – start with the Medicare Advantage HMO column (the ‘Good’ box, then below that the ‘Not So Good’ Box, then the ‘Best For’ box – then start at the top under the PPO column, top to bottom, and then the Medigap (Supplement column).

STEP 2:

Now focus on the bottom row, ‘Best For’, and read each box from left to right.

Which box in ‘Best For’ reflects your situation more so than the others? Or, which box does not reflect your situation? (“You got this.”)