Medicare Supplement resource Guide

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Your Medicare Choices: Medicare Advantage or Medicare Supplement

With Medicare, you choose how you get your health and prescription drug coverage. You can opt for:

  • Original Medicare + (Optional) Medicare Supplement
  • Medicare Advantage Plans

If you choose the Original Medicare option, you may choose to add to it with a Medicare Supplement plan.

Below is a deeper look into these coverage choices:

Original Medicare

  • Run by the Federal government
  • Provides your Part A and Part B coverage
  • You can buy a Medicare Supplement policy to fill in some of the gaps in Part A and Part B
  • You can also join a Medicare Prescription Drug Plan to add drug coverage

Medicare Advantage Plans

  • Run by private insurance companies approved by and under contract with Medicare
  • Plans are structured either as HMOs or PPOs
  • Provides coverage for Part A and Part B services and supplies, but charges differently for certain services
  • Extra coverage and prescription drug coverage for an extra cost
  • If you’re enrolled in a Medicare Advantage Plan, you don’t need and can’t use a Medigap policy

Note that a Medicare Supplement cannot be used in conjunction with a Medicare Supplement plan. If you already have a Medicare Advantage Plan, it is against the law for an insurance company to sell you a Medicare Supplement policy unless you simultaneously unsubscribe from your Medicare Advantage Plan to go back to Original Medicare.

Medicare Advantage vs. Medigap

This Medicare Advantage vs. Medigap comparison chart provided by the Oregon state insurance department presents an easy point-by-point comparison on the basis of cost, eligibility, provider choice and other factors.

Important News regarding
June 2010 Update
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