Medicare Advantage Plans

• Health Maintenance Organization (HMO). HMOs require you to see doctors on their approved list, but also tend to offer greater benefits and lower costs.
  
• Preferred Provider Organization (PPO). PPOs let you see any doctor, but you pay less if you see plan-approved doctors.
• Private Fee For Service (PFFS). PFFS Plans let you see any doctor who accepts the plan’s payment.   BE CAREFUL: Not all doctors accept all PFFS Plans.

Saving Money with Medicare Advantage Plans
People in MA Plans generally receive better hospital benefits, better physician benefits, lower out-of-pocket costs, and lower cost drug benefits than Original Medicare. According to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Floridians in MA Plans are receiving an average value of $150.91 per month of additional benefits in 2007.

Prescription Drug Coverage
Some MA Plans also offer drug coverage.  These are called Medicare Advantage Prescription Drug Plans (MAPD Plans). Though you must use drugs on an approved list, the plan may pay part of your Part B or D premium, cover drugs through the coverage gap, and often offer cheaper copayments for generic or mail-order drugs.

BE CAREFUL: if you are in a MA Plan with drug coverage and you join a stand alone drug plan, then you may be disenrolled from your MA Plan and return to Original Medicare.

Special Needs Plans
Special Needs Plans (SNPs), another type of Medicare Advantage Plan,  offers services and benefits especially tailored for people who need specialized care and/or focused care management. Read More About SNPs