Medicare Advantage Plans

If you have Part A and Part B, you can join a Medicare Advantage Plan, sometimes called “Part C” or an “MA plan.” This type of Medicare health plan is offered by Medicare-approved private companies that must follow rules set by Medicare. 

• Most Medicare Advantage Plans include drug coverage (Part D)
•  Most plans include prescription drug coverage
•  Many plans may include dental, vision and wellness coverage
•  $0 premium and $0 deductible plans may be available in your area

Before joining a Medicare Advantage plan, talk to your employer, union, or other benefits administrator about their rules before you join a Medicare Advantage Plan. In some cases, joining a Medicare Advantage Plan might cause you to lose your employer or union coverage. If you drop or lose employer or union coverage for yourself, you may also lose coverage for your spouse and dependents. You may not be able to get this coverage back. 

Insurance companies can decide if a plan will be available to everyone with Medicare in a state, or only in certain counties. Insurance companies may also offer more than one plan in an area, with different benefits and costs. Each year, insurance companies can decide to join or leave Medicare. 

The grace period is at least one month long, but plans can choose to have a longer grace period. If you lose eligibility for the plan, you'll have a Special Enrollment Period to make another choice.

This Special Enrollment Period starts when your Medicare Advantage Plan notifies you that you're no longer eligible for the plan. It continues during the plan's grace period, and if you're disenrolled from the plan at the end of the grace period, it continues for 2 months after your coverage ends. It's very important to review your coverage options at this time to make sure you continue to have the Medicare health and prescription drug coverage you want.