Medicare question

I decided not to go with Medicare advantage, which was offered by my former employer. I chose Medicare plus a G supplement. We also pay for a part D plan, a dental plan, and a vision plan. Are there things a MAP would give us? Probably, but I’d had enough in my working years of pre-approvals, coverage restrictions, in/out of network, etc. There are actually doctors/hospitals that aren’t just out of network - they don’t even accept your MAP.
My supplement is good everywhere in the US and even provide a limited amount overseas.

I have an Advantage plan. Before I signed up I checked if it covered my doctors and the hospital I would go to, and my medications. It cover 50% of dental up to $3,000. It is a $0 premium plan so the only cost is the Medicaid deduction from social security. In our area there are a lot of options, but I think in other places there are fewer choices. Check with your doctor to see what insurance they take. A few years back my mom had regular Medicare with a supplement plan and her doctor told her that they were going to stop accepting regular Medicare so she would need to change to an advantage plan or change doctors. There are places that have all the options in your area and can help in picking one that is best for your needs. Chapter medicare is one and I am sure there are others.

I buy insurance to cover what I can't afford myself. The goodies list of an Advantage plan are designed ,IMO , to draw attention away from how they will approach a major treatment.

With consolidations in the medical field and so many Doctors retiring I went for regular MC and plan G to get maximum choice. When one is really sick time matters more than a gym membership.

Plan G is the most comprehensive Medicare supplement option. Pays for all the hospital ( plan A) doctor and durable equipment ( plan B) Medicare deductibles and co-pays- except the $257 annual doctor deductible. It’s offered by all the Medicare supplement companies eligible to write policies in a state, all plan G policies, regardless of company cover the same things. You would still need a Plan D for prescriptions. Medicare advantage plans are Plan C ( A, B and D plus extras).

Please call the department of aging in your state to get contact information for a SHIP counselor. I don’t remember what the acronym stands for but they are there to educate you on supplements and advantage plans

Or contact a reputable Medicare supplement insurance agent, who can do the same thing.

QBC covered what G is, thank you, SHIP is [from AI]: SHIP stands for the

'State Health Insurance Assistance Program. It is a free, federally funded service that provides local, personalized counseling to Medicare beneficiaries, their families, and caregivers to help them navigate Medicare enrollment, coverage options, and benefits.'

I've listened to few lectures by these counselors through the years - some were , um, probably borderline MCI , others were absolutely fantastic . Even though I've stuck with G , I've learned something new every year I've listened .

Some health libraries have events near the annual enrollment time , usually on line . In Calif the program is called HICAP . Here is an excellent one from 11/2025.