Best Medicare Health Insurance Plans For You

Let me start of by saying that every Medicare beneficiary has a different situations. Just like everybody else, they have different lifestyles, health issues, budgets, and expectations. That means, in my opinion, that it would be impossible to tell you which is the best Medicare health plan. We cannot try to find the best one, but can only find the best plan for you!

Original Medicare is the health plan that most senior citizens qualify for at retirement age. Disabled people, who are under 65, can also qualify for benefits. The program has been around for almost 50 years, and is certainly a prized institution with our country's senior citizens. It helps them pay for, and manage, their health care.

Part A - This is usually called hospital insurance, though it covers some other things as well. Most seniors do not have to pay an additional premium.

Part B - This is often called medical insurance. It pays for medical expenses that Part A does not cover. Doctor's office visits are one example of this. Most seniors do pay a premium for this coverage, though it is taken from their social security checks, so many people are not even aware of that.

Part D (Where is Part C?) Part D is Medicare prescription drug coverage, and it is fairly new. It comes from private insurers. It usually has a premium for the senior citizen, though it also gets tax dollars to supplement it. It is intended to help seniors pay for their prescriptions, though it is not 100% coverage. Some people will purchase a prescription plan that works alone, while others take a plan that comes bundled with a Medicare Advantage Plan.

Part C - OK, nobody calls Medicare Advantage plans Part C anymore, so that's why I did it out of alpha order! Medicare Advantage plans come from private insurers. Sometimes they require an extra premium payment, but sometimes they do not. In fact, some MA (Medicare Advantage Plans) even rebate part of the Part B premium that is taken from social security checks. When you enroll in an MA plan, you will use that insurance card instead of your original Medicare card. You are still a Medicare beneficiary though, and can just stick your original card somewhere safe in case you decide to dis-enroll from an MA plan and go back to your original Medicare.

Medicare Supplements - These are also called Medicare Gap policies, and that is because they work with original Medicare part A and part B. They cover the gaps in coverage like deductibles and copays to reduce a beneficiary's out of pocket medical expenses. You can find different levels of these medsup plans, and those different levels will offer different coverage, and they will have different premiums. Rates may also vary by zip code, age, and other factors. There will be certain times when a Medicare beneficiary can sign up with no underwriting required.

So which plan is best for you, or for a senior citizen that you care about? You have to look at the plans that are available in your local area, and then decide which one fits your budget, lifestyle, and expectations.

While the best way to navigate this overwhelming task is to seek the assistance of an independent, agnostic health insurance agent, you can also start by zooming in on the health insurance companies that, generally, provide the best Medicare Advantage plans, based on factors like provider network size and additional benefits and coverage.