Overview

Medicare Advantage plans, also known as Part C, are offered by private health insurance companies. These plans provide additional benefits beyond Original Medicare (Part A and Part B).

These benefits include coverage for:

• Dental/Vision 
• Inpatient hospital and skilled nursing facility care
• Emergency and urgent care
• Doctor visits, surgery, preventive care,
• Medical equipment like wheelchairs and, walkers, and more.

Additional plan benefits may also include:

• Dental/Vision or;
• Grocery benefits or;
• Gym Memberships

Enrollment Information

To enroll in a Medicare Advantage plan, you first need to sign up for Original Medicare by enrolling in Parts A and B. If you need help getting started, refer to our “What is Medicare?” guide for detailed information.

After enrolling in Original Medicare, you can select a Medicare Advantage plan. Healthcare.com’s plan selector tool simplifies this process.

There are specific enrollment periods each year when you can make changes to your plan:

• Annual Medicare Enrollment Period: October 15 through December 7.
• Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period: January 1 through March 31.

Costs

Medicare Advantage enrollees typically pay a monthly premium, averaging around $18.50 in 2024. Additionally, plans may include copays and deductibles, with an annual out-of-pocket maximum of $8,850. Once you reach this limit, your Medicare Advantage plan covers the remaining costs for the year.

Next Steps

Review your Medicare coverage to see if these plans meets your needs. You can browse our Medicare Advantage guides to understand what’s right for you.