Medicare coverage options
You have important decisions to make when you're eligible for Medicare. Be confident in choosing coverage that fits your health care and budget needs.
Get to know your coverage choices
When considering what Medicare coverage to choose, it's important to first understand what each option provides and who provides each. Then, we will walk through how the different options may work together to help ensure you have all the health coverage you need.
Let's review the following: Original Medicare (Parts A and B), Medicare prescription drug coverage (Part D), Medicare Advantage (Part C) and Medicare supplement insurance (Medigap).
Original Medicare (Parts A and B) is provided by the federal government. Part A helps pay for hospital stays and inpatient care, while Part B helps pay for doctor visits and outpatient care. Everyone who enrolls in Medicare gets Part A and Part B first.
Medicare Part D is prescription drug coverage. Part D coverage can be obtained from private insurance companies in one of two ways: (1) as a stand-alone Part D plan, (2) as part of a Medicare Advantage plan that includes prescription drug coverage. With either choice, the different drugs covered will vary from plan to plan.
Medicare Advantage, or Part C is an alternative way to get Part A and Part B coverage benefits. Medicare Advantage plans are "all in one" plans that are offered by private insurance companies. With Medicare Advantage plans, you still enroll in Part A and Part B through the federal government, but then you will enroll in a Part C plan with a private insurance company. Once you do that, you will get your Part A and Part B benefits through your Medicare Advantage plan. Most Medicare Advantage plans also include Part D prescription drug coverage, as well as other benefits such dental, vision, hearing and fitness. There are different types of Medicare Advantage plans, and what additional benefits are provided vary from plan to plan.
Medicare supplement insurance plans, also known as Medigap, helps pay some of the out-of-pocket costs not paid by Original Medicare (Parts A and B). There are 10 plans, organized by letters (ex. Plan A) and standardized by the federal government.* However, it’s important to note that Medigap plans are only available to purchase directly from private insurance companies. Each Medigap plan offers the same basic benefits no matter which insurance company sells it, but costs may vary.
*Note: In Massachusetts, Minnesota and Wisconsin, there are different plan options available.
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Medicare and Medigap coverage combinations
Now that we have looked at the different coverage options, let's see how some of them can be combined to provide you with more complete health care coverage.
Original Medicare, Part D and Medigap can work together. Medicare Advantage and Part D can also work together in certain situations. Medicare Advantage and Medigap cannot work together.
In total, there are seven different Medicare coverage combinations.
Original Medicare combinations
If you get Original Medicare (Parts A and B) you can choose to have only Part A and Part B, or you can add a stand-alone Part D plan, a Medicare supplement insurance (Medigap) plan or both.
Original Medicare (Part A and Part B) alone
Original Medicare (Part A and/or Part B)
PLUS a standalone prescription drug plan (Part D)
Original Medicare (Part A and Part B)
PLUS a standalone prescription drug plan (Part D)
AND a Medicare supplement (Medigap) plan
Original Medicare (Part A and Part B)
PLUS a Medicare supplement (Medigap) plan
Medicare Advantage combinations
If you choose to get your Part A and Part B benefits through a Medicare Advantage (Part C) plan, you may or may not need additional coverage. Most Medicare Advantage plans already come with built-in Part D prescription drug coverage, but some do not. You can add a stand-alone Part D plan to the following types of Medicare Advantage plans: Private-Fee-For-Service (PFFS) Medicare Advantage plan or a Medicare Medical Savings Account (MSA) plan.
Medicare Advantage plan (Part C) with included prescription drug coverage (Part D)
Medicare Advantage plan (Part C) without prescription drug coverage (Part D)
Medicare Advantage Private Fee-for-Service plan without drug coverage (Part C) OR a Medicare Savings Account (MSA) plan PLUS a stand-alone prescription drug plan (Part D)
See Medicare coverage combination examples
Get a better understanding of how each Medicare coverage combination may work, including costs, in these examples.
Four things to remember when choosing Medicare and Medigap coverage
- Original Medicare (Parts A and B) comes directly from the federal government.
- Medicare Part D, Medicare Advantage (Part C) and Medicare supplement insurance (Medigap) plans come from private insurance companies only.
- There are seven different ways to combine Medicare coverage choices to ensure your health and budget needs are met.
- Medicare Advantage and Medigap plans cannot work together.
Read next: Prescriptions, providers and benefits
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UnitedHealthcare pays royalty fees to AARP for the use of its intellectual property. These fees are used for the general purposes of AARP. AARP and its affiliates are not insurers. AARP does not employ or endorse agents, brokers or producers.
AARP encourages you to consider your needs when selecting products and does not make product recommendations for individuals.
Please note that each insurer has sole financial responsibility for its products.
AARP® Medicare Supplement Insurance Plans
AARP endorses the AARP Medicare Supplement Plans insured by UnitedHealthcare.
Insured by UnitedHealthcare Insurance Company, 185 Asylum Street, Hartford, CT 06103 (available in all states/territories except ND, NY) or UnitedHealthcare Insurance Company of America, 1600 McConnor Parkway, Floor 2, Schaumburg, IL 60173 (available in AR, AZ, IL, IN, MS, NC, ND, NJ, OH, PA, SC, TN, TX, WY) or UnitedHealthcare Insurance Company of New York, 2950 Expressway Drive South, Suite 240, Islandia, NY 11749 (for NY residents). Policy Form No. GRP 79171 GPS-1 (G-36000-4).
In some states, plans may be available to persons under age 65 who are eligible for Medicare by reason of disability or End-Stage Renal Disease.
Not connected with or endorsed by the U.S. Government or the federal Medicare program.
This is a solicitation of insurance. A licensed insurance agent/producer may contact you.
You must be an AARP member to enroll in an AARP Medicare Supplement Plan.
THESE PLANS HAVE ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS, EXCLUSIONS AND LIMITATIONS. FOR COSTS AND COMPLETE DETAILS (INCLUDING OUTLINES OF COVERAGE), CALL A LICENSED INSURANCE AGENT/PRODUCER AT THE TOLL-FREE NUMBER ABOVE.
Medicare Advantage plans and Medicare prescription drug plans
Plans are insured through UnitedHealthcare Insurance Company or one of its affiliated companies, a Medicare Advantage organization with a Medicare contract and a Medicare-approved Part D sponsor. Enrollment in these plans depends on the plan's contract renewal with Medicare. You do not need to be an AARP member to enroll in a Medicare Advantage plan or Medicare Prescription Drug plan.
This information is not a complete description of benefits. Contact the plan for more information. Limitations, co-payments, and restrictions may apply. Benefits, premium and/or co-payments/co-insurance may change on January 1 of each year.
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