Medicare Plans

Medicare isn’t a one-size-fits-all program. There are different plans designed to meet different needs, and understanding your options is the key to making the right choice.

Whether you’re looking for basic hospital and doctor coverage, a plan that includes prescription drugs, or extra benefits like dental and vision, we’re here to help you make sense of it all.

Overview of Medicare Parts (A, B, C, D)

Medicare consists of four main parts:

• Part A (Hospital Insurance) – Covers hospital stays, skilled nursing care, hospice care, and some home healthcare.
• Part B (Medical Insurance) – Covers doctor visits, outpatient care, preventive services, and medical equipment.
• Part C (Medicare Advantage) – A private insurance alternative to Original Medicare that combines Parts A & B and often includes extra benefits like dental, vision, and prescription drug coverage.
• Part D (Prescription Drug Plans) – Provides coverage for prescription medications.

If you stick with Original Medicare (Parts A & B), you can add a Part D plan for prescription drug coverage or a Medigap plan to help with out-of-pocket costs.

Let’s go over each option in more detail.

Original Medicare (Part A & B)

Original Medicare, which the federal government directly provides, is the foundation of the program. It includes:

Medicare Part A – Hospital Coverage

Think of Part A as your hospital insurance. If you ever need to stay overnight in a hospital or skilled nursing facility, this part of Medicare helps cover those costs.

For most people, Part A is free because they’ve worked and paid Medicare taxes for at least 10 years. If you haven’t, you may need to pay a monthly premium.

Medicare Part B – Medical Coverage

Part B helps cover the care you receive outside the hospital—things like doctor visits, preventive screenings, lab tests, and even medical equipment like wheelchairs or walkers.

Unlike Part A, everyone pays a monthly premium for Part B. In 2025, the standard premium is $185 per month, but it may be higher if your income is above a certain level.

One important thing to remember is that original Medicare does not cover prescription drugs, dental, vision, or hearing care. Many people add extra coverage to fill in these gaps.

Medicare Advantage (Part C)

Medicare Advantage, also called Part C, is an alternative to Original Medicare that bundles everything together into a single plan.

Private insurance companies offer these plans and must cover everything that Original Medicare covers—but many of them go beyond that.

Why Do People Choose Medicare Advantage?

• Most plans include prescription drug coverage (so you don’t need a separate Part D plan).
• Many plans offer dental, vision, hearing, and wellness benefits that Original Medicare doesn’t cover.
• Monthly premiums are often low or even $0, though you still have to pay your Part B premium.
• Plans set an annual limit on out-of-pocket costs, while Original Medicare does not.

What’s the Catch?

With Medicare Advantage, you usually have to use doctors and hospitals in the plan’s network. If you prefer having complete freedom to see any doctor who accepts Medicare, Original Medicare with a Medigap plan might be a better fit.

Medicare Prescription Drug Plans (Part D)

Medicare Part D helps cover the cost of prescription drugs, and it’s available in two ways:

• As a stand-alone drug plan for people with Original Medicare
• Built into a Medicare Advantage plan

A few things to know about Part D:

• Each plan has its own list of covered medications (formulary)—it’s important to check that your prescriptions are included.
• The cost of your medications depends on which tier they fall into (generic drugs usually cost less than brand-name drugs).
• If you don’t enroll in Part D when you’re first eligible and don’t have other coverage, you may have to pay a late enrollment penalty.

Even if you don’t take many medications right now, enrolling in a low-cost Part D plan can help protect you from unexpected costs in the future.

Medigap (Medicare Supplement Insurance)

If you’re sticking with Original Medicare, a Medigap plan can help cover some of the costs that Medicare doesn’t pay—like deductibles, copays, and coinsurance.

Said another way, Medigap doesn’t replace Medicare… it works alongside it. You should consider Medigap if:

• You want predictable out-of-pocket costs and fewer surprise medical bills.
• You travel often and want coverage anywhere in the U.S. (some plans even cover foreign travel emergencies).
• You want the freedom to see any doctor that accepts Medicare without worrying about networks.

Medigap does not include prescription drug coverage, so you may need to pair it with a Part D plan.

Which Medicare Plan is Right for You?

To make it easier to compare, here’s a quick look at the differences between your options:

Plan Type	How It Works	Covers Prescription Drugs?	Doctor Choice	Extra Benefits?	Monthly Costs
Original Medicare (Parts A & B)	Basic hospital & doctor coverage	No	Any doctor that accepts Medicare	No	Part A: Free for most, Part B: Starts at $174.70
Medicare Advantage (Part C)	Bundled coverage with extra benefits	Usually Yes	Must use network providers	Yes (dental, vision, hearing)	Varies, some as low as $0
Medicare Part D	Prescription drug coverage	Yes	Any pharmacy in network	No	Varies by plan
Medigap (Supplement)	Helps cover out-of-pocket Medicare costs	No	Any doctor that accepts Medicare	No	Varies by plan

How Family Medicare Advisors Can Help

With so many Medicare options, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed—but you don’t have to figure it out alone.

At Family Medicare Advisors, we:

• Explain your options in a way that makes sense.
• Compare plans to help you find the best fit.
• Guide you through enrollment so you avoid costly mistakes.

And the best part? Our help is completely free.  Call us at (888) 556-3037 or click below to get started.