Medicare Part C (Medicare Advantage)
Medicare Advantage, or Medicare Part C, is an easy way to combine your Medicare benefits into one plan with one identification card.
With a Medicare Advantage plan, you get everything that is covered under Medicare Part A (Hospital Insurance) and Medicare Part B (Medical Insurance), plus you may get extra benefits like vision and hearing benefits. Some plans also include prescription drug coverage (Medicare Part D).
Private companies contract with Medicare to offer Part C coverage. When you have one of these private Medicare Advantage plans, you are still a member of Medicare, but you only need to carry one card when you go to the doctor, hospital or pharmacy.
Doctors and Hospitals with Medicare Advantage
A Medicare Advantage plan works similar to the way a traditional private insurance plan works. With a Memorial Hermann Medicare Advantage plan, you’ll have access to coordinated care from affiliated physicians, specialists, facilities and healthcare services available through the Memorial Hermann Advantage HMO plan network. This means you’ll get participating providers, the Memorial Hermann Health System and your Medicare plan all on the same team, uniquely working together for you.
Costs and Savings with Medicare Advantage
With many Medicare Advantage plans, you could pay a monthly plan premium, in addition to your Medicare Part B premium and then pay a copay when you need services. Some plans require deductibles to be met for types of health care services and may also offer a maximum on the amount you pay out-of-pocket each year.
Memorial Hermann Advantage HMO plans include prescription drug (Part D) coverage, dental, vision and hearing benefit, plus more. Benefits and features vary by plan, but you must continue to pay your Part B Medicare premium.
For services such as going to the doctor or to the hospital, you pay a low, fixed copay. You also pay copays for prescription drugs based on a formulary. A copay can be beneficial for members because you know you will never pay more than a certain amount for a service, as opposed to coinsurance, where you pay a percentage of the service cost.
Memorial Hermann Advantage HMO plans also offer a maximum on the amount you pay out-of-pocket for health care services, so you can relax knowing your bills will never exceed a set amount each year.
If you would like more information about our Memorial Hermann Advantage HMO plans, or if you already have a Medicare Advantage plan and want to compare your plan’s benefits to ours, call us at (866) 350-2715 (TTY 711).