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Medicare Advantage, Medigap, and Medicare Part D* plans are all offered through private companies that contract with Medicare to provide services to beneficiaries. These private companies receive subsidies from the federal government to provide services to their members. By choosing to participate in one or more of these programs, Medicare recipients can lower their healthcare costs and receive coverage for medical services not covered under the Original Medicare plan.
Because all of these plans are offered through private health insurance providers, you will want to compare different companies and different plan options to decide what kind of coverage best fits your individual needs. These pages are designed to provide an introduction to a number of the major companies that provide private Medicare health plans. When you have more information about the available options, you can feel more confident in selecting the plan that will be best for you.
* You may be able to get extra help to pay for your prescription drug premiums and costs. To see if you qualify for getting extra help, call:
1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227). TTY/TDD users should call 1-877-486-2048, 24 hours a day/7 days a week;
The Social Security Administration at 1-800-772-1213 between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m., Monday through Friday. TTY/TDD users should call, 1-800-325-0778; or Your State Medicaid Office
Dental or vision options can be added to your
coverage.
Living longer means paying more for health care.
A woman who retires at 65 can expect to maintain her health until the age of 84, on average.2
Men who expect high health costs after they turn 65 end up retiring – on average – 13 months later than those who don't.3