Medicare Advantage Questions & Guides

Medicare Advantage Plans

Most asked questions about Medicare Advantage Plans

When shopping for Medicare Advantage plans one question leads to another. What is Part A? What is Part B? What is Medicare for that matter? We are here to help. Below are some of the more common questions to get you started. For more information contact us anytime.

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What is Medicare?

Medicare is a federal program that began in 1966. It provides guaranteed health insurance for people who are age 65 and over and for younger people who qualify on the basis of disability.

What is Medicare Advantage?

Medicare Advantage, or Medicare Part C, is a privately run alternative to original Medicare. Medicare Advantage plans are sold by Medicare-approved private insurance companies and must cover the same health care services as original Medicare (except hospice care).

What are the different parts of Medicare?

Medicare has four parts, each offering a different type of coverage: Part A (hospital insurance), Part B (medical insurance), Part C (Medicare Advantage) and Part D (prescription drug coverage).

Does Medicare cover all my health care costs?

Medicare does not cover all your health care costs. It requires you to pay premiums, deductibles, and copays, which vary according to the type of Medicare coverage you choose and, in some cases, your income.

Is enrollment in a Medicare Advantage plan automatic or do I need to enroll directly with the plan?

Medicare doesn’t automatically enroll you in a Medicare Advantage plan — you need to choose a plan and sign up directly.

How Do I Sign Up for Medicare?

Signing up for Medicare is relatively easy to do. First of all, if you are already receiving Social Security, you will be enrolled into “original” Medicare (Medicare Part A and Medicare Part B) automatically. You will receive a red, white and blue Medicare card in the mail – without you having to take any action prior to that to enroll in Medicare. It will just show up in your mailbox one day about 3 months before your 65th birthday. If that situation applies to you, there’s nothing else you need to do with Medicare itself – your next step is to pick a Medigap plan and Part D plan (if you are going to get those).

Does Medicare Cover Preventive Care?

In general, Medicare covers a “Welcome to Medicare” physical within the first 12 months of going on Medicare. After that, it covers an annual wellness exam and many other screenings/tests on Medicare-established schedules. These include, but are not limited to, bone mass measurements, cardiovascular screenings, breast cancer screenings, colorectal cancer screenings, glaucoma tests, flu shots, lung cancer screenings, prostate cancer screenings, and many more.

Medicare Advantage the way it should be!

We are independent agents and work for you. We will answer your questions and help you compare plans. More importantly we are here to help after you have your plan.