Medicare Advantage-Medicare Health Plans (Part C)

What are Medicare Advantage Plans?

A Medicare Advantage Plan is another way to get your Medicare coverage. Medicare Advantage Plans, sometimes called “Part C” or “MA Plans,” are offered by Medicare-approved private companies that must follow rules set by Medicare. If you join a Medicare Advantage Plan, you’ll still have Medicare but you’ll get most of your Medicare Part A (Hospital Insurance) and Medicare Part B (Medical Insurance) coverage from the Medicare Advantage Plan, not Original Medicare. Most plans include Medicare prescription drug coverage (Part D). In most cases, you’ll need to use health care providers who participate in the plan’s network. However, many plans offer out-of-network coverage, but sometimes at a higher cost. Remember, you must use the card from your Medicare Advantage Plan to get your Medicare-covered services. Keep your red, white, and blue Medicare card in a safe place because you’ll need it if you ever switch back to Original Medicare.

Medicare Advantage Plans cover almost all Medicare Part A and Part B benefits

In all types of Medicare Advantage Plans, you’re always covered for emergency and urgent care. Medicare Advantage Plans must cover almost all of the medically necessary services that Original Medicare covers. However, if you’re in a Medicare Advantage Plan, Original Medicare will still cover the cost for hospice care, some new Medicare benefits, and some costs for clinical research studies.

Plans can offer extra benefits

Most Medicare Advantage Plans offer coverage for things that aren’t covered by Original Medicare, like vision, hearing, dental, and wellness programs (like gym memberships). Plans can also cover more extra benefits than they have in the past, including services like transportation to doctor visits, over-the-counter drugs, adult day-care services, and other health-related services that promote your health and wellness. Plans can also tailor their benefit packages to offer these new benefits to certain chronically ill enrollees. These packages will provide benefits customized to treat those conditions. Check with the plan to see what benefits are offered and if you qualify.

Information Available

In order to determine which Medicare Advantage plans that are available in any county in North Carolina, see Medicare Advantage Landscapes below. In addition, each year different types of Medicare Special Needs Plans (SNP) may be available in different parts of the state. Insurance companies decide where they’ll do business, so Medicare SNPs may not be available in all parts of North Carolina. See files below. Included in the files below, are summaries of each MA plan and SNP by County which provides a detailed benefits overview of each plan.

For more information regarding Medicare Advantage Plans:

Visit Medicare Advantage & other health plans | Medicare

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