Medicare selections can be confusing with "Original Medicare" having a collage of Part A, Part B, add-on Prescription Drug Plans (PDPs), and add on Medicare "Supplements" ... which can be combined to create an excellent long-term solution for you which is likely your 'permanent' health insurance. Your alternative is called "Medicare Advantage".
The 'Medicare Advantage' promoted by Joe Namath and JJ Walker in television commercials is essentially a privatized packaged version of Medicare provisioned by for-profit insurance companies who offer plans meeting minimum Medicare standards, but can impose restrictions like 'networks' of health providers, pre-approval requirements, referral requirements, step-care or partial care, and higher annually recurring maximum out of pocket expenses (called a MOOP). More on this later.
Meanwhile, it's important to know that information, advice and help enrolling is free to all Medicare enrollees whenever they enroll or change plans as Medicare pays licensed insurance agents and agencies a fee to assist you and others with these important decisions.
Nearing age 65? Get ready to be called 5+ times to day by telemarketers trying to sell you plans promising "zero cost", free groceries, a free "dental plan" and more. Of course, nothing is really "free" so ask us to share coverage rates on both Original Medicare and Medicare Advantage plans. Either may be a fit, but one may be better.
