Medicare Advantage plans combine all the benefits of Original Medicare Parts A and B, and may include your Part D Prescription Drug coverage built right in. Plus, some plans will include routine dental and vision coverage, and other extra benefits, all for a monthly plan premium.

1.Do I Keep My Part A and B Coverage? - Your Medicare Advantage plan will replace your Original Medicare Part A & Part B coverage, but you won’t lose a single benefit. In fact, you may get more. That’s because rather than pay your medical bills directly, the federal government contracts with private insurance companies such as Humana to administer your plan.

2.How does the plan work to lower my out of pocket costs? - Insurance companies compete for your business with affordable premiums and added benefits. The cost of care will be determined by your plan and you will no longer be responsible for the out of pocket costs outlined by Original Medicare – with the exception of your monthly Part B premium. All Medicare Advantage plans include a maximum out of pocket limit which caps your annual out-of-pocket costs so you'll never be charged more than this total amount for covered care each year.

3.Will I get access to additional coverage and extra benefits? - Prescription drug, routine dental, vision, and hearing aid coverage are included with some Medicare Advantage plans. Just be sure to check the plan you are interested in includes this coverage. You will also have the option to add on additional coverage for more complex dental procedures if your plan doesn’t cover them directly.

4.Will I get to keep my doctor and will I need a referral to see a specialist? - To help manage costs, Medicare Advantage plans usually enter into contracts with a network of doctors and hospitals. That means you’ll generally pay less when you receive care from doctors and specialists who accept your plan. Humana has large networks of approved doctors and hospitals so be sure to check yours are covered on the plan before you enroll. If you choose an HMO plan you may need a referral to use an in-network specialist, but referrals should not be required on PPO plans.

5.What monthly plan premium will I pay? - Medicare Advantage plans generally have a lower premium than Medicare Supplement plans. In fact, many Medicare Advantage plans have no monthly premium at all.

6.When can I enroll? - You can enroll or change plans two times a year. First during the annual enrollment period from Oct 1 – Dec 7 and then again during Open Enrollment from Jan 1 – March 31. From April 1 – Oct 15 you will need a special enrollment period to switch plans. If you enrolled in a Medicare Advantage Plan during your Initial Enrollment Period, you can change to another Medicare Advantage Plan (with or without drug coverage) or go back to Original Medicare (with or without a drug plan) within the first 3 months you have Medicare.

7.Can I change my plan later? - If you want to switch to a different Medicare Advantage or Prescription Drug plan you’ll be able to make that change during the annual enrollment period each year. While you won’t be able to enroll for the first time, if you are already enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan on January 1st you’ll be able to switch to a different plan during the Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period, which ends on March 31st each year. Outside of that time, you’ll need to have a valid reason to make a change. During these enrollment periods, you have the option to switch back to Original Medicare parts A and B, and if needed, add a Medicare Part D plan.

8.Why would I choose a Medicare Advantage Prescription Drug Plan? - Medicare Advantage Prescription Drug plans may be ideal for people who want an all-in-one plan that will cover all of their health and prescription needs in one. There are many Medicare Advantage Prescription Drug plans to choose from so enrollees can ensure they choose the one that covers all the added benefits and services they need to help maintain their health and stay within their budget.

9.Why wouldn’t I choose Medicare Advantage? - Medicare Advantage plans rely on networks of approved doctors and hospitals to keep costs affordable and provide additional benefits. If your doctor is not in your plan’s network of providers, you may have higher costs. Your out-of-pocket costs may be lower if you receive care from in-network providers.