Medicare Advantage Plans

Medicare is medical insurance for couples and individuals aged 65 or older, or under the age of 65 with certain disabilities, and any age with End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) (permanent kidney failure which requires dialysis or a kidney transplant). The American Medicare System has the following parts:
Part A (Hospital Insurance)
Part B (Medical Insurance)
Part C (Medicare Advantage Plans, like an HMO or PPO)
Part D (Medicare prescription drug coverage)

Original Medicare: In the year of 1965 President Johnson introduced medicare to America's seniors when he approved the new medicare law. Back in 1965 the medicare premium that seniors paid was $3.00 per month. With costs rising annually the medicare premiums in 2010 were $96.40. The government medicare plan helps cover inpatient care in hospitals, medically necessary services like doctors' services, outpatient care, and other medical services. Explore your options on medicare coverage.

Medicare Rx Supplements: Seniors get help with their prescription drug coverage with the original medicare plan, but medicare does not cover the entire prescription bill for seniors. In fact many times seniors find themselves stuck in the medicare donut hole. With Medicare (Part D) Drug Coverage Plans, seniors have greater access in covering their prescription drug costs. There are a variety of medicare prescription plans available to seniors in the US. Just recently in a joint venture Walmart Corporation and Humana Insurance Company introduced it's affordable rx solution for seniors with the Humana Walmart Preferred Rx Plan. You can also find out more about Medicare Part D Supplements in our Medicare Plan Resources section below.

Medicare Advantage Plans: Medicare Advantage Plans for 2011 are health care plan options that have been approved by Medicare and are administered by privately owned companies and corporations. These type of plans are part of Medicare, and are sometimes called "Part C." They combine all of the Part A and Part B covered services. Medicare Advantage Plans can offer additional coverage and most include Medicare supplement drug coverage. The Medicare Advantage Plan is based on the Health Care HMO or PPO model where you must use doctors who belong to the preferred-plan or go to certain associated hospitals to get covered services. In addition to Original Medicare, Medicare Advantage Plans help Seniors to cover some of those unforeseen out of pocket health care costs that the government plan does not pick up.