Medicare Advantage plans, known as Medicare Part C, are offered by private companies. Medicare enrollees pay a fee, in addition to the Medicare Part B fee, for comprehensive coverage. Often, the total you pay for Medicare Advantage can be less than you’d pay for Original Medicare plus a Medicare supplement (“Medigap”) policy plus a Medicare Part D drug plan.
The cost difference may be shrinking, though. According to a recent report, enrollees in Medicare Advantage plans will pay about $40 per month to those plans, on average, an increase of 14.2 percent from 2009. That follows an average increase of 5.2 percent from 2008 to 2009.
Moreover, some Medicare Advantage plans are adding or increasing co-pay or co-insurance amounts per office visit. Altogether, you should consider what your total cost would be in a Medicare Advantage plan versus original Medicare. Also consider the fact that many Medicare Advantage plans limit your choice of doctors if you want the lowest cost while original Medicare does not have such restrictions.
