2018 Medicare Advantage Plans Private Health Plans for Massachusetts's Medicare Beneficiaries

Click on your Massachusetts County below to shop all 2018 Medicare Advantage plans. It's government approved private health insurance that replaces your Original Medicare private-fee-for-service benefits.

Some rural areas don't offer plans, while others offer only a few. Medicare Advantage options are typically HMO or PPO plans that use hospital and doctor networks to provide care.

Click on your county below.

Getting Enrolled in Medicare Advantage

Most Massachusetts seniors qualify to join a Medicare Advantage plan. Certain diseases, most notably End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD), may disqualify you from enrollment.

You can join or switch plans during a Medicare Election Period. For most people, the Annual Election Period (AEP), which starts on 15 October and ends 7 December, is the time they update their enrollment.

Most of us also get an Individual Election Period (IEP), but it only comes around once. Your IEP is based on your 65th birthday. It starts the month before and ends the month after, so you have plenty of time.

To get enrolled:

• Call a plan directly. If you know the plan you want, this way is quick and easy.
• Go to www.Medicare.gov and enroll through the government website. From there you can look up your medications, compare plans, and get your application started online.
• Use an independent insurance agent. This is the best way to go if you need someone to help advise you.

Medigap vs. Medicare Advantage, Which is Better?

Medicare Advantage is one way to get full coverage healthcare. You also have the option to hold on to your Original Medicare PFFS benefits and upgrade your coverage with Massachusetts Medicare Supplement Insurance and a Massachusetts Medicare Part D Plan (for help with your prescription drugs).

A Medicare Supplement policy protects you from big medical bills and helps you lower the total annual cost of your healthcare. See our Massachusetts Medigap Plans page for more information. The good news is that all supplemental insurance is standardized, offering you the luxury to buy the coverage you need based on the lowest price.

About Our 2018 MA and MAPD Information

The healthcare insurance information provided on MedicareWire.com is derived from data files published by the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). We update our databases quarterly. However, we are unable to verify the correctness of the data received. You must consult with a licensed insurance agent to get an exact quote for your situation.

For more information about the Medicare program, visit http://cms.gov. This page is maintained by David Bynon and was last updated on October 14, 2017.