Medicare ABCs - Part C

What? Where did Part C come from? Okay, take a deep breath. Remember that Part A is free, Part B you pay some and Medigap is for the in-between where Part A and Part B leave you hanging. So why is there a Part C?

Part C is an alternative to Medigap. You can choose this instead to lessen your exposure to high health care costs. Here's what it looks like:

Part C - Advantage Plans (instead of Medigap)

Premiums will vary by company and level of coverage but not age

You still pay your monthly Part B premium ($104.90-$121.86)

You can sign up for a plan that's familiar: HMO, PPO, PFF

Co-pays and/or co-insurance apply for covered benefits

100% coverage for preventative care

Guaranteed annual out-of-pocket maximum

May offer dental, vision and other services or discounts for these

You can choose this option or change from one plan to another from Oct 15 - Dec 7 each year

Still need to enroll in Part A and Part B to enroll in Part C

More information can be found here: Medicare Advantage Plans

Are we done yet? We'll talk about Part D tomorrow...