Advantage plans and Medigap can help supplement Medicare

Source: Detroit Free PressOct.儲存 30--There are different ways to get more coverage than offered under Original Medicare, which is the tax-funded Part A program that covers hospitalizations and the Part B that is funded by individual premiums and generally covers outpatient services.Beneficiaries can choose from Advantage plans and Medigap plans. Consumers need to weigh the pros and cons of both.The first thing a consumer should consider is health, said Jennifer Therrien, who works with the Southfield-based Area Agency on Aging, 1-B, helps beneficiaries understand their options.Medicare Advantage plans are provided by private insurers and they replace Original Medicare Plans A and B. They offer the same minimum coverage as A and B. Most in Michigan operate as managed care networks, like an HMO. But there is extra coverage, too. Some plans, for example, offer dental and vision coverage. Some cover prescription drugs.Medigap plans, also known as Supplemental Plans, do not replace Original Medicare. Rather, they significantly add to its mini storageoverage and they're are not usually limited to smaller provider networks.Medigap also helps cover co-pays that can add up quickly, Therrien said: "For someone who is frail or has more medical needs, a Medigap policy can be a godsend."While premiums vary widely among Medigap and Advantage plans, Medigap costs tend to be more expensive than Advantage plans.Medigap doesn't cover prescription drugs, so consumers might consider purchasing Part D coverage, as well.Consumers have a one-time, six-month Medigap Open Enrollment Period that starts the first month the consumer turns 65 and is enrolled in Part B. During that time, consumers can buy any Medigap policy sold in Michigan regardless of health status. After that enrollment period, the cost can be much higher depending on health issues and age, Therrien said.Consumers who buy an Advantage plan, can't be sold a Medigap plan, which can be found here.Copyright: ___ (c)2013 the Detroit Free Press Visit the Detroit Free Press at .freep.com Distributed by MCT Information Servicesself storage