What is the difference between medicare advantage and medicare complete

Q: Does getting a Medicare Advantage plan make you lose original Medicare?

If you join a Medicare Advantage Plan, youll still have Medicare but youll get most of your Part A and Part B coverage from your Medicare Advantage Plan, not Original Medicare. , and usually Medicare drug coverage (Part D). Find Medicare Advantage Plans in your area.

Home
Shop for Medicare Plans
Compare Medicare Plans
Compare Medicare Advantage vs. Medicare Supplement Plans

Table of Contents Show

Medicare Advantage plans
Medicare Supplement Insurance plans
Shop plans in your area
Comparing Medicare Advantage and Medicare Supplement plans
Medicare Advantage and Medicare Supplement Plan information and tools
View plans and pricing
Find a Plan
Meet with Us
What's the difference between Original Medicare and Medicare Advantage?
More differences
What is the biggest disadvantage of Medicare Advantage?
Does getting a Medicare Advantage plan make you lose original Medicare?
Is it better to have Medicare Advantage or Medigap?
What are the advantages and disadvantages of Medicare Advantage plans?

Medicare Advantage plans

Medicare Advantage plans offer additional features and benefits – beyond Medicare Parts A and B (Original Medicare). Most UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage plans include*:

$0 copays on most common prescriptions**
$0 copays for primary care visits
Vision and dental coverage
Fitness programs

Medicare Supplement Insurance plans

Since Medicare doesn’t pay for everything, Medicare Supplement plans are designed to help cover out-of-pocket expenses. Also known as “Medigap,” these plans complement your existing Original Medicare coverage.

Depending on the plan you choose, you may receive coverage for many out-of-pocket expenses that Part A (hospital) and Part B (doctor) don’t cover, such as:

Deductibles
Coinsurance
Copayments (copays)

Shop plans in your area

See the Medicare Advantage and Medicare Supplement plans available where you live.

Comparing Medicare Advantage and Medicare Supplement plans

Here are some of the key items people like to compare when deciding between a Medicare Advantage plan and a Medigap plan.

	Medicare Advantage plans	Medigap plans
Doctors and hospitals	You may be required to use doctors and hospitals in the plan network.	You can select your own doctors and hospitals that accept Medicare patients.
Referrals	You may need referrals and may be required to use network specialists, depending on the plan.	You can see specialists without referrals.
Coverage when you travel	Non-emergency care might depend on your plan’s service area. Emergency care is generally covered for travel within the United States and sometimes abroad.	Coverage goes with you when you travel across the United States and, depending on the plan, may cover emergency care when traveling abroad.
Enrollment	Generally, there are specific periods during the year when you can enroll in or switch to a different Medicare Advantage plan. And you generally can’t be denied coverage or charged more based on your health status.	You can apply to buy a plan any time after you turn 65. However, if you apply during your Open Enrollment Period, you are guaranteed coverage at the best available rate for you, regardless of your health status.
Costs	Generally, you pay a low or $0 monthly plan premium (in addition to your Part B premium). When you use services, you pay copays, coinsurance, and deductibles up to a set out-of-pocket limit.	For Medicare-approved doctor and hospital services, you’ll pay a monthly plan premium in addition to your Part B premium. When you use services, you’ll have low—or no—copays and coinsurance, depending on the plan selected.
Prescription drug coverage	Prescription drug coverage is included with most plans.	Prescription drug coverage is not included. Consider buying a standalone Part D plan for more complete coverage.

Medicare Advantage and Medicare Supplement Plan information and tools

UnitedHealthcare provides information and tools to make it easier to find the plan you need, and learn as much as possible before you choose.

View plans and pricing

Find Medicare Advantage and Medicare Supplement plans in your area.

Shop plans ⁠

Find a Plan

Call Us

Meet with Us

Make an appointment with a licensed insurance agent/producer in your area

*Benefits and features vary by plan/area. Limitations and exclusions apply.

** These benefits are not available with all plans and may vary by plan. The “most common prescriptions” refers to Tier 1 and 2 drugs filled through a preferred mail order pharmacy.

What's the difference between Original Medicare and Medicare Advantage?

Who is this for?

If you're new to Medicare, this page will help you understand what you get from Medicare Advantage that you don't with Original Medicare.

You’re probably familiar with Original Medicare. You may know that when you turn 65 you'll get certain health care benefits from the government. You might not know as much about Medicare Advantage.

Medicare Advantage got its start in 1995. The federal government created it as a way to give people more options. Private health insurance companies sell Medicare Advantage plans. The federal government regulates them.

Before we get into how Medicare Advantage is different from Original Medicare, let’s look at how it’s the same. All Medicare Advantage plans have to offer at least the same benefits as Medicare Parts A and B. That means if Original Medicare covers hospital care at a certain level, so will every Medicare Advantage plan on the market.

But the benefit of Medicare Advantage plans is that they offer more coverage than Original Medicare. Here are three key ways in which Medicare Advantage gives you more than Original Medicare:

Original Medicare vs. Medicare Advantage

Overview	Original Medicare	Medicare Advantage
Coverage	Covers medical and hospital costs only.	Many plans cover dental, vision, hearing and prescription drugs, in addition to medical and hospital costs.
Cost	No cap on what you pay out of pocket. Medicare only pays for a certain number of days in the hospital or in a skilled nursing facility.	Has an out-of-pocket maximum each year. Once you hit a certain dollar amount, your plan pays 100% of the cost for most services it covers.
Travel	Except in very rare cases, Medicare doesn't cover care you get when you're out of the country, even in an emergency.	May cover emergency care when you’re out of the country. Our plans cover emergency care with a $50,000 lifetime maximum.

Many Medicare Advantage plans offer even more benefits than those listed in the table above. Check out our Medicare Advantage plans to get a better idea of what you can get with these plans.

More differences

There are a few other key differences between Medicare Advantage and Original Medicare:

Coinsurance vs. copay

With Original Medicare, you pay 20 percent of the cost, or 20 percent coinsurance, for common health services like office visits or outpatient surgery. Most Medicare Advantage plans use copays instead of coinsurance for these services. That means you pay a fixed cost.

For example, your Medicare Advantage plan might have a $15 copay when you see the doctor. That means you’ll pay $15 every time you see the doctor, no matter how much the visit costs your health insurance company. If you have Original Medicare, you’ll pay 20 percent of the total cost of the visit. If the visit costs $200, you pay $40.

Network

With Original Medicare, you can go to any doctor or facility that accepts Medicare. Medicare Advantage plans have fixed networks of doctors and hospitals. Your plan will have rules about whether or not you can get care outside your network. But with any plan, you’ll pay more for care you get outside your network.

What is the biggest disadvantage of Medicare Advantage?

The biggest disadvantage of Medicare Advantage plans is the closed provider networks, limiting your choice of which doctor or medical facility to use. Medicare Advantage costs are also largely based on how much medical care you need, making it more difficult to budget for health care costs.

Does getting a Medicare Advantage plan make you lose original Medicare?

If you join a Medicare Advantage Plan, you'll still have Medicare but you'll get most of your Part A and Part B coverage from your Medicare Advantage Plan, not Original Medicare. , and usually Medicare drug coverage (Part D). Find Medicare Advantage Plans in your area.

Is it better to have Medicare Advantage or Medigap?

A Medicare Advantage plan may be a better choice if it has an out-of-pocket maximum that protects you from huge bills. Regular Medicare plus a Medigap insurance plan generally allows you more choice in where you receive your care.

What are the advantages and disadvantages of Medicare Advantage plans?

Medicare Advantage offers many benefits to original Medicare, including convenient coverage, multiple plan options, and long-term savings. There are some disadvantages as well, including provider limitations, additional costs, and lack of coverage while traveling.