13 February What are the Advantages of choosing a Medigap policy over a Medicare Advantage policy? February 13, 2017 By Editor Medicare Supplement medicare, medicare supplement, medigap, seniors 0 If you are already enrolled in Medicare Part A and Part B you will have a choice between a Medicare Supplement (aka Medigap) plan or a Medicare Advantage plan. The following reasons are why we feel the Medicare Supplement plan is the better choice for you: Any healthcare provider that accepts Medicare will accept all Medigap plans. There are no networks, there are no HMOs, there are no PPOs and you will never need a referral to see a doctor or specialist Generally there are no co-pays when services are rendered Most Advantage plans have co-pays for every visit Medicare Supplement plans are standardized by the government. Which means you can compare prices form one company to another and always know that you are comparing the same coverage Policies are “Guaranteed Renewable”, which means that as long as you pay your premium, you cannot lose the coverage If you move to another city or state, you can take your Medigap policy with you You won’t have to worry about limited providers or doctors dropping out of your network If you buy a Medigap policy within 6 months of starting Part B at age 65 or older, you cannot be turned down for any reason You don’t have to choose a primary care provider so you don’t have a “gatekeeper” who has the final say on which provider you see So although Medigap plans usually come with a slightly higher premium than the Advantage plans, there are very few limitations to them and no “hidden” costs as far as co-pays and/or deductibles. So for all these reasons we feel your better alternative to supplement your government issued Medicare coverage is a Medigap policy. Please feel free to contact one of our Medicare Supplement specialists, at (800) 369-3600, who will be happy to discuss your individual circumstances and suggest a plan that is right for you. Visit ManhattanLife's Medicare Supplement for plan information. Related Posts Unpacking Medicare Supplement: Part 4 Medigap Maggie's learning journey reaches its end and epilogue. Here, further details and potential scenarios are given, and questions are answered. Unpacking Medicare Supplement: Part 2 Maggie continues her quest to learn more about healthcare at age 65 and beyond. In Part 2 of our blog series, she discovers the myriad of details that make up this supplemental insurance. How Much Can a Medigap Plan Save You When Medical Bills Stack Up? We Did the Math. A Medicare Supplement plan, also called a Medigap plan, is designed to cover the healthcare costs that Medicare won't. In order to show how important a Medigap plan can be in protecting you from out-of-pocket costs, we calculated how much money a Medigap plan would save you in the event of an unlikely, yet completely possible, serious medical issue. 17 Reasons Consumers Choose Medicare Supplement Over Medicare Advantage A list of the main reasons consumers choose a Medicare Supplement plan over a Medicare Advantage plan. Traveling Overseas and Medigap Plans Whether you are an avid traveler or looking forward to traveling overseas, and a Medicare beneficiary with Original Medicare, Part A and part B, you should take into consideration a supplemental coverage product. Unpacking Medicare Supplement: Part 1 Along with Medicare, Medicare Supplement or Medigap can give assist in providing more thorough health insurance. Join Maggie as she embarks on a five-part journey to better understand just how beneficial Medicare Supplement coverage can be. Comments are closed.