I don’t understand. If it costs you nothing why are you paying every month?
Interesting, I tried an Advantage program but left after one year. The program promised a lot but had many restrictions about how often your could go in for whatever. They also restricted the meds and I was constantly having to see the doctors about a modification because they changed the drugs that they would cover.
I also found that some doctors were not thrilled to see me. This changed when I left the advantage program, but the cost of the advantage program was significantly lower than the regular plan I am on now. But the Docs never have a problem giving me an appointment.
You must have Medicare B to sign up for Medicare Advantage plans. And there is a cost for signing up for Medicare B, about $130/month.
“Medicare Part B (medical insurance) is part of Original Medicare and covers medical services and supplies that are medically necessary to treat your health condition. This can include outpatient care, preventive services, ambulance services, and durable medical equipment. It also covers part-time or intermittent home health and rehabilitative services, such as physical therapy, if they are ordered by a doctor to treat your condition.
Some of the preventive services Medicare Part B covers include a one-time “Welcome to Medicare” preventive visit, flu and hepatitis B shots, cardiovascular screenings, cancer screenings, diabetes screenings, and more. For a full list of preventive services covered under Medicare Part B, refer to the Medicare handbook, “Medicare and You.”
There are many private insurers you can opt for instead of regular gov’t Medicare. Medicare pays only 80% of hospital bills. I signed up for Humana HMO. All primary doctor visits are no cost. If I go into a hospital, my plan requires me to pay first $700 and rest is covered by the plan. And this HMO pays me $52/month, which brings down my Medicare B cost down to about $80/month.