California Medicare Plans

Trying to learn Medicare can be a bewildering process, and California is a large state with many plan options. Fortunately, if you are able to educate yourself about the basics of California Medicare supplements and Medicare Advantage Plans you will find that either one plan options or the other is a better fit for you. In this guide, we will take a quick look at your options when it comes to Medicare supplement and Advantage plans.

California Medicare Supplements

Medicare supplements are regulated by the federal government. There are 10 individual plans to choose from. You decide what plan you want based on your individual medical needs. You can use them anywhere in the United States.. Any doctor's office or pharmacy that takes Medicare will allow you to use your Medicare supplement. You will be guaranteed to be able to renew each year as well, regardless of health status.

Among the supplement plans, there are some that are more popular than others. Plan F has been a very popular supplement plan for decades. This plan provides comprehensive coverage and minimizes the amount of money you will need to spend out of pocket. There are two versions of Plan F- one that is comprehensive from the first dollar, and one that has a high deductible. The high deductible plan has more out of pocket costs up front, but the monthly premiums are significantly lower.

Plan G is another popular choice. This plan offers the same level of coverage as Plan F but you will have to pay your own Part B deductible each year. That deductible will be $183 in 2018. Plan N offers the same level of coverage as Plan F without the standard deductible and without the Medicare Part B excess charges. You will also incur some copays.

With Plan N you will have to pay up to $20 for doctor visits and up to $50for an emergency room visit where you do not check into the hospital. Some people also like to explore plans with less coverage and lower premium. Plans K, L and M have significantly lower premium costs if you can agree to some of the higher back-end cost-sharing.

California Medicare Advantage Plans

Medicare Advantage plans are private insurance plans that are offered by private insurance companies. The federal government pays these companies to take on your medical risk if you become a member of their plan. Instead of signing up for a supplement, you enroll in the Medicare Advantage plan and get all your benefits through the plan. The monthly premiums for these plans are significantly lower than most Medicare supplement plans. You will have to use a network of providers on most plans.

Besides reduced premiums, one major benefit of Medicare Advantage plans is that they sometimes include extra benefits for vision exams, eyeglasses, preventive dental screening, hearing exams and even gym memberships.

Medicare's Part D drug plan is also built into some plans, so there is no extra cost for buying Part D. Many people living on fixed incomes like this aspect and the the lower premiums of Medicare Advantage plans.

Choosing which type of plan is best for you can be tricky. At Boomer Benefits,
we are very good at navigating these complex systems and we would love to help you get the medical coverage you deserve. We have hardworking specialists ready to guide you through this process and make signing up for the right plan a breeze. Give us a call today!