Is Medicare and Medigap "clear as mud" to you?

If you’re confused by Medicare Part A and Part B, Medicare Advantage plans, Medicare Supplement plans and Part D prescription plans, you’re not alone. The one thing most people say about Medicare is that it’s complicated! If you don’t take some time to see what Original Medicare actually pays for, you could be blindsided by doctor and hospital bills that you’re not prepared to pay.

Here’s some help so you don’t feel like you’re wandering through an endless maze of Medicare jargon. Medicare’s Part A is basically for hospital coverage and Part B is for doctors. Part A deals with home health care, hospice, hospital and skilled nursing facility care. Part B handles services and supplies from doctors and other non-hospital providers.

You can rely on Original Medicare – that’s Part A and B – or you can get your Part A and B coverage through a Medicare Advantage plan from a private insurer. Advantage plans typically add coverage for dental, hearing and vision not available with Original Medicare. If you choose Original Medicare, you can use any one of 10 Medicare Supplement plans, also called Medigap plans, to pay for Medicare’s deductibles for doctor and hospital care, as well as co-pays to see doctors and co-insurance (the part of your bill you pay even with Medicare coverage). Like Advantage plans, Medigap plans offer benefits not found in Original Medicare.

To get prescription drug coverage with an Advantage plan, you must have Medicare Part A and B. You can get drug coverage with a Medicare Prescription Drug plan if you have either Part A or B. It’s just a matter of choosing a plan that will cover your medications (not all plans pay for all medicines) for the lowest monthly premium.

At MediGap Advisors, we realize there’s a lot to learn about Medicare, Medicare Advantage plans and Medigap plans. We’ve spent years building our comprehensive resources so we can answer your questions in simple, easy-to-understand terms. You can learn more about Medicare and how you can improve your Medicare coverage by visiting us online at www.MediGapAdvisors.com, or just call us at 866 323-1441. We can provide quick answers to simple questions, or assign your own Personal Advisor to help you compare plans that can improve your coverage under Medicare. There’s never a fee for our services and we can arrange for an “off-hours” telephone appointment time so you can have a relative join us. With professional help from the experts at MediGap Advisors, you don’t have to “guess” about your Medicare coverage any more.