Within the world of Medicare, there are two major choices: traditional/original Medicare and Medicare Advantage.
"Laughing Woman With Puppy" by agilemktg1 is marked with CC PDM 1.0
Original Medicare
With traditional Medicare, Parts A and B are included into your plan, however Part D is not.
If you would like a prescription drug plan (PDP), you must apply for this separately.
A Medicare supplement insurance (aka Medigap) is strongly advised for those who would like aid with out-of-pocket costs and do not have employer or union coverage.
Original Medicare will not cover the extra benefits Advantage offers, which often includes dental, vision, and hearing (DVH).
Paying for original Medicare, and supplement, and a Part D plan will generally cost more on a monthly basis, but this comes with the benefit of being covered by any hospital or provider across the United States that accepts Medicare.
Medicare Advantage
The Advantage plan (aka Part C) is an inclusive alternative to original Medicare, and typically bundles parts A, B, and D into one plan.
Beneficiaries will be offered the additional benefits not covered by traditional Medicare.
This includes dental, vision, hearing, etc.
Generally less expensive on a monthly basis, however the in-network providers are limited.
In the state of Tennessee, Advantage plans have networks such as PPOs, HMOs, EPOs, POSs, etc.
On the other hand, original Medicare doesn’t abide by networks and can be used by any Medicare accepting facility or provider across the United States.
When considering, ask yourself:
Do I want a prescription drug plan (Part D)?
How often would I utilize the additional benefits (DVH) offered with Advantage?
If I choose the Advantage plan, will my current providers be in-network? If I choose original, do all my providers accept Medicare coverage?
Would I prefer a lower premium and DVH benefits at the sacrifice of restricting my access to hospitals and providers?