Medicare Advantage Plans
Wesley Norris Insurance, Inc. offers several types of Medicare options from the following insurance carriers.
Cigna Healthsprings
Medicare Supplement Insurance plans
Medicare Advantage Special Needs Plans
Part D prescription drug plans
*UnitedHealthcare® Medicare Solutions
Medicare Supplement Insurance plans
Medicare Advantage Special Needs Plans
Part D prescription drug plans
*Humana Medicare Solutions
Medicare Supplement Insurance plans
Part D prescription drug plans
*Aetna Medicare Solutions
Part D prescription drug plans
Medicare Advantage Plans are health plan options that are part of the Medicare program. If you join one of these plans, you generally get all your Medicare-covered health care through the Medicare Advantage Plan. This coverage can include prescription drug coverage. Medicare Advantage Plans include:
- Medicare Health Maintenance Organization (HMOs)
- Preferred Provider Organizations (PPO)
- Private Fee-for-Service Plans
- Medicare Special Needs Plans
When you join a Medicare Advantage Plan, you use the health insurance card that you get from the plan for your health care. In most of these plans, there generally are extra benefits and lower co-payments than in the Original Medicare Plan. Most Medicare Advantage Plans are managed care plans, usually a health maintenance organization (HMO) or a preferred provider organization (PPO) and you may have to see doctors that belong to the plan or go to certain hospitals to get services.
To join a Medicare Advantage Plan, you must have Medicare Part A and Part B. You will have to pay your monthly Medicare Part B premium to Medicare. In addition, you may have to pay a monthly premium to your Medicare Advantage Plan for the extra benefits that they offer.
If you join a Medicare Advantage Plan, your Medi-gap policy won’t work. This means it won’t pay any deductibles, co-payments, or other cost-sharing under your Medicare Health Plan. Therefore, you may want to drop your Medigap policy if you join a Medicare Advantage Plan.
When can I enroll?
Keep in mind that Medicare limits when you can join, switch, or drop a Medicare Advantage Plan. You can join a plan when you first become eligible for Medicare. This is anytime beginning three months before the month you turn 65 and ends three months after the month you turned 65.
For example, if you turn 65 on May 5, your eligibility period starts on February 1 and ends on August 31.
If you are disabled and have Social Security Disability Insurance, you can join an advantage plan three months before to three months after month 25 of your disability.
You can join, switch or drop your Medicare Advantage or Prescription Drug Plan during Medicare’s Open Enrollment Period (also called the Annual Election Period), between October 15 – December 7 each year. Your coverage will begin on January 1 of the following year.
Medicare Prescription Drug Plan
Medicare offers prescription drug coverage to everyone with Medicare. If you decide not to join a Medicare Prescription Drug Plan (Part D) when you’re first eligible, or if you decide not to join a Medicare Advantage Plan (Part C) (like an HMO or PPO) or other Medicare health plan that offers Medicare prescription drug coverage, you’ll likely pay a late enrollment penalty unless you have other creditable prescription drug coverage, or you get Extra Help.
To get Medicare drug coverage, you must join a plan run by an insurance company or other private company approved by Medicare. Each plan can vary in cost and drugs covered.
2 ways to get drug coverage:
- Medicare Prescription Drug Plan (Part D). These plans (sometimes called “PDPs”) add drug coverage to Original Medicare, some Medicare Cost Plans, some Medicare Private Fee-for-Service (PFFS) Plans, and Medicare Medical Savings Account (MSA) Plans.
- Medicare Advantage Plan (Part C) (like an HMO or PPO) or other Medicare health plan that offers Medicare prescription drug coverage. You get all of your Medicare Part A (Hospital Insurance) and Medicare Part B (Medical Insurance) coverage, and prescription drug coverage (Part D), through these plans. Medicare Advantage Plans with prescription drug coverage are sometimes called “MA-PDs.” You must have Part A and Part B to join a Medicare Advantage Plan. To request an appointment to discuss a Medicare Advantage Plan please call our offiice.
*This is not a complete listing of plans available in your service area. For a complete listing contact 1-800-MEDICARE (TTY users should call 1-877-486-2048) , 24 hours a day / seven days a week or consult www.medicare.gov.