What are the Medicare Advantage Eligibility Requirements?
Anyone enrolled in both Medicare Part A and Part B (Original Medicare) is eligible to join a Medicare Advantage plan in their area. This includes individuals who have Medicare due to a disability, regardless of their age.
In this article, we’ll explain who qualifies for Medicare Advantage, including Special Needs Plans, what private health plans cover, how much they cost, and how to get enrolled.
Key Takeaways
- There are only three requirements to join a Medicare Advantage plan:
- You must be enrolled in both Medicare Part AMedicare Part A is hospital coverage for Medicare beneficiaries. It covers inpatient care in hospitals and skilled nursing facilities. It also covers limited home healthcare services and hospice care. and Part B;
- You must live in a plan’s service area; and
- You must enroll during an authorized enrollment period.
Who is Eligible?
Generally speaking, everyone with Medicare Part A and Part B benefits is eligible for Medicare Advantage. What restricts most people from getting a plan is availability.
Although plans are available in about 3,000 counties and territories, they are not available in all. For example, no HMO or PPO plans are available in Alaska.
Also, not everyone qualifies for all types of plans. For instance, Special Needs Plans (SNPs) are only available to individuals who meet the specific requirements of the SNP. For this reason, we organize SNPs separately.
You can find a complete list of Medicare Advantage plans in your area using our Plan Finder tool.
How Do Medicare Advantage Plans Work?
Medicare Advantage plansMedicare Advantage (MA), also known as Medicare Part C, are health plans from private insurance companies that are available to people eligible for Original Medicare (Medicare Part A and Medicare Part B). are sold by private insurance companies. They are an alternative to Original MedicareOriginal Medicare is private fee-for-service health insurance for people on Medicare. It has two parts. Part A is hospital coverage. Part B is medical coverage. coverage.
What is Covered?
Original Medicare (Part A and Part B) provides hospital coverage and medical coverage. On average, it pays about 80% of your major medical costs. However, it does not cover outpatient prescriptions, routine dental and vision, hearing aids, or non-emergency medical transportation. That’s where Medicare Advantage comes in.
All Medicare Advantage plans are required to cover all of the same benefits as Medicare Part A and Part B. They can also include extra benefits that Original Medicare does not cover. Routine dental, vision, and hearing benefits are common extras, as is prescription drug coverage.
Although Medicare Advantage plans are required to provide all of the same services as Medicare Part A (hospital coverage) and Part B (medical coverage), they are not required to cover them in the same way. Specifically, plans have the right to set their own deductiblesA deductible is an amount a beneficiary must pay for their health care expenses before the health insurance policy begins to pay its share., copaymentsA copayment, also known as a copay, is a set dollar amount you are required to pay for a medical service., and coinsuranceCoinsurance is a percentage of the total you are required to pay for a medical service. on Part A and Part B benefits.
How Much Do They Cost?
The price you see next to a Medicare Advantage plan is the additional monthly premiumA premium is an amount that an insurance policyholder must pay for coverage. Premiums are typically paid on a monthly basis. In the federal Medicare program, there are four different types of premiums. you will pay to be in the plan, if any. Plans are not all-inclusive. Plans also have out-of-pocket costsOut-of-Pocket Costs for Medicare are the remaining costs that are not covered by the beneficiary's health insurance plan. These costs can come from the beneficiary's monthly premiums, deductibles, coinsurance, and copayments. when you use healthcare services. And, you will need to keep paying your monthly Medicare Part B premiumThe Medicare Part B premium is the monthly charge paid by beneficiaries for their outpatient medical care, services, and supplies. A beneficiary's premium may be uplifted by an IRMAA surcharge if their income is above....
Under Medicare Part BMedicare Part B is medical coverage for people with Original Medicare benefits. It covers doctor visits, preventative care, tests, durable medical equipment, and supplies. Medicare Part B pays 80 percent of most medically necessary healthcare services., beneficiaries pay a 20% coinsurance after they have paid the annual Part B deductible. But, a Medicare Advantage plan may choose to charge more or less than a 20% coinsurance on specific services. Many plans charge copayments (a flat fee), and some services may have no out-of-pocket costs at all.
The same is true with Part A services. Although it is widely believed that Medicare Advantage plans save money, many plans have higher out-of-pocket costs for inpatient careInpatient care refers to care provided in a hospital or other inpatient facility. Inpatients are admitted and stay at least one night depending on their condition. than Original Medicare. Savings are typically realized when a beneficiaryA person who has health care insurance through the Medicare or Medicaid programs. can take full advantage of a plan’s extra benefits and rarely uses Part A services.
Restrictions and Provider Networks
In addition to setting their out-of-pocket costs, plans also have the right to require referrals and preauthorizationPrior authorization is a process used by health plans to control healthcare costs. Most HMO plans and some PPO plans require authorization before receiving certain treatments, medical services, or prescription drugs.. This is often the case when a specialist is involved (referral) or a certain type of test or procedure is needed (preauthorization).
Finally, most Medicare Advantage plans use local provider networks. You will be required to use providers in the network or you pay all costs (HMO plan) or higher costs (PPO plan).
When to Enroll in a Medicare Advantage Plan
You can join a Medicare Advantage plan in your area during several enrollment periodsEnrollment periods are designated time periods to enroll or disenroll from the various parts of Medicare. There are six Medicare enrollment periods..
Initial Enrollment Period (IEP)
When first eligible for Medicare at age 65, or 24 months after drawing your first Social Security Disability Income (SSDI) check, you will have an Initial Enrollment PeriodThe Initial Enrollment Period is a seven-month period when new beneficiaries can enroll in Medicare without a penalty. Most people enroll in Medicare at age 65.. During this period you can choose your Medicare plans.
Your IEP is a 7-month period of time. It begins 3 calendar months before your 65th birthday (or 25th month of SSDI) and ends 3 calendar months after.
Fall Open Enrollment Period (OEP)
If you don’t join a Medicare Advantage plan during your IEP, your next available opportunity is during the fall Medicare Open Enrollment PeriodDuring the Medicare Open Enrollment Period, Medicare Advantage and Part D plan members can change, switch, or drop a plan they chose during the Annual Election Period. OEP starts on January 1 and ends on March 31.. During this time you can signup for a Medicare Advantage plan and/or a Medicare Part DMedicare Part D plans are an option Medicare beneficiaries can use to get prescription drug coverage. Part D plans provide cost-sharing on covered medications in four different phases: deductible, initial coverage, coverage gap, and catastrophic. Each... prescription drug plan. This is also the time when you can drop your plan and go back to your Original Medicare benefits.
Fall OEP begins October 15th and ends December 7th each year. Just prior to this time, Medicare will send you a new copy of their “Medicare & You Handbook.”
Special Enrollment Period (SEP)
Under certain circumstances, you may be eligible for a Special Enrollment PeriodSpecial Enrollment Periods (SEPs) allow beneficiaries to change their Medicare Advantage and Part D plans due to a special circumstance. Common reasons for a SEP include moving, losing employer coverage, and Medicaid eligibility, to name.... This happens when you have a qualifying life event, such as moving out of your plan’s service area or being released from jail.
You can call 1-855-728-0510 (TTY 711) to speak with an advisor to determine if you are eligible for a Special Enrollment Period.
How To Enroll
To join a Medicare Advantage plan you will need to go through a licensed insurance agent. MedicareWireMedicareWire is a Medicare insurance consulting agency. We founded MedicareWire after seeing and hearing how confusing and frustrating it is to find, understand, and choose a plan. Our services are free to the consumer. has partnered with HealthCompare, a nationwide Allstate company, to offer free enrollment services with the major carriers, including AARP/UnitedHeathcare, Humana, Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna, and many more.
Give HealthCompare a call at 1-855-728-0510 (TTY 711).