Medicare vs. Medicare Advantage plans

[MissNemo]

Lots of people are saying the Medicare Advantage plans are a scam. The internet says they're a scam but I can never find the alternative.
I have Cigna and their left hand doesn't know what their right hand is doing.
So what insurance do I get if I don't get a Medicare Advantage plan?
Thank you.

[disneysteve]

I don't know a ton about them but I did help my mom with this decision to some extent.

You can get regular Medicare and buy a supplemental plan. You pay a monthly premium for the supplement and then it covers what Medicare doesn't. The advantage plans have no monthly cost but come with higher copays and coinsurance amounts for any care you receive.

In my mom's case, she was paying over $300/mo for her supplement and hardly using any services. She switched to an advantage plan, stopped having the $300+/mo bill, and just pays more out of pocket when she goes to doctors and has tests done. So far, it's worked out to her advantage. She sees her PCP, a back doctor, was hospitalized for a few days in April, has followed up with cardiology, and has had some x-rays and CT scans and is still ahead of the game since she hasn't had to pay a monthly premium.

If you use a lot of medical services, an advantage plan might not be right for you, but you really need to look at the plan details and out of pockets costs and compare that to the premiums of a supplemental plan.

[Like2Plan]

Lots of people are saying the Medicare Advantage plans are a scam. The internet says they're a scam but I can never find the alternative.
I have Cigna and their left hand doesn't know what their right hand is doing.
So what insurance do I get if I don't get a Medicare Advantage plan?
Thank you.

You might think you are asking a simple question, but unfortunately you are asking a very complicated question and the rules are different from state to state. One good resource is your state's State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP)
Here is a link: https://www.shiphelp.org/

Keep in mind that if you elect to go with Medicare Advantage, you have a couple of opportunities to switch back to regular Medicare/medigap/plus plan D without additional underwriting. (If you move to an area that doesn't offer your medicare advantage program or if they discontinue your medicare advantage program in your area, you can flip back to original medicare)

Article from Forbes:
"For example, when you get a Medicare Advantage plan as soon as you're eligible for Medicare, and you're still within the first 12 months of having it, you can switch to Medigap without underwriting. The opportunity to change is the "trial right.""

https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesfinancecouncil/2020/06/03/how-to-switch-to-medigap-when-you-have-medicare-advantage/?sh=3893d8282374

Some states have laws (Maine, Massachusetts, Connecticut and New York) allow you to switch back to regular Medicare/Medigap/plus plan D during open season without any additional underwriting. Well, there are several other state specific rules on this so it pays to consult with your state SHIP rep.

One big difference between Medicare Advantage and regular medicare is that you have to use the network Docs for your MA plan. Maybe it is not a big deal to you. I have a friend who has Kaiser. She had to drive quite a distance (about 50 miles) to get a couple scans which she felt was less than optimal. But, she loves her PCP and has a good rapport with her. I have no idea of what kind of coverage she might have for international travel. Regular Medicare doesn't cover anything, but sometimes the Medigap plan might provide some coverage. The Medicare Advantage plan- I don't know.

https://www.investopedia.com/articles/personal-finance/071014/medigap-vs-medicare-advantage-which-better.asp

[QuarterMillionMan]

L2P & disneysteve explained it well. This video explains it in great detail. Now I know why I keep getting calls from telemarketers about Advantage plans (they get a higher commission). For my government job after 25 years the Supplement will be 100% covered so I won't need an Advantage plan being fully covered with the Supplement.
Medicare Advantage vs Medicare Supplement | Watch Before You Choose Your Plan! | 2023 Updates - YouTube