Medicare Advantage Vs. Medicare Supplement - An Unbiased Comparison 

Very helpful also very clear communication among two choices to pick. Thank you

Thank you. Well Explained.

Your videos are like a breath of fresh air in an industry where confusing the insured seems to be the norm.

Thanks, very helpful.

Very clear and informative video about a very confusing topic. I am sure this will help me. Good job!

Your videos are very helpfull for us license agent .

Great summary! Thanks.

Thank you for the helpful information. You have a very warm and welcoming personality.

Great videos with excellent info for the 65 crowd..

Your videos are very useful and provide lots of information. I have received lots of help with your video, please continue to share this kind of information. Thank you.

i want you to know that you are one of my goto videos about medicare plans...im just wondering..can you also make a video about surgical vs doctors office videos? coz members confuses it..even i..for ex. a small injection...falls on surgery already...though its for claims dept already...thanks

great brief explanations amongst the two!!! thanks!

Can you switch from Traditional Medicare to Medicare Advantage and vice versa once a year?

Thank you for the clear, unbiased video. Great job!

Great information, thank you. I’m appalled at the cost of healthcare in the U.S., particularly for seniors. How does anyone on a limited income keep a roof over their head facing upwards of $7000 ‘out of pocket’? The system is designed to benefit big pharma, doctors, hospitals. This has to change.

granting the same conditions, costwise, which one is really cheaper??

I’m currently on SSDI with Medicare parts A B and D. My 65 birthday is on next march 15. I’m planning on getting either G or N supplement. When’s the best time to apply for my supply? Some say 6 months before or 6 months after.

Great video, very informative.

Great info thank you!

Superb/succinct. Thank you!

Thank you this information help me a whole lot

Thank you Stephanie, no wonder these health insurance are so aggresive to ask you to enroll with medicare advantage, i now understand.

Could you please comment on Medicare Advantage (Cost) plans which combine traditional Medicare and Medicare Advantage plans. I have such a plan with Kaiser Permanente and like it very much because I have the option of either using Kaiser network providers or going outside of Kaiser with traditional Medicare benefits if I want.

Well done video! Good and concise explanation of the two .

Great information, thanks. But, when referring to the Advantage plan, I wasn't sure what you meant by the "plan not traveling with you?" Can you elaborate? Thanks again.

I was told in LosAngeles area Blue Shield of California Had lower price compare to others around $185.00 per mount

Very concise, to the point, no fluff, very professionally done. Thank you very much for your video.

So if your out of pocket ( POTENTIAL) on an Advantage plan is between $5-7000 annually but then again on a supplement what is the total cost of insurance premiums on average in central Texas? I get the feeling the supplement market is a good deal for the insurance companies and can be for an individual if they use it and can afford to pay monthly premiums

I have Medicare part A, B, D and supplemental part F. I have no copay or deductible. I'm covered 100%. No matter what state, or what facility I go to. Supplemental coverage is standardized. Many Advantage plans charge the same or more than what I pay for my Supplemental, yet cover a lot less. Be smart and do your research. It won't be easy, but it must be done. Good thing is, if you like your plan you don't have to change it every year.

Just a FYI.....the VA can bill a veteran supplemental policy and not a Medicare advantage policy.

I hear horror stories about people that got into advantage plans, only to be told later that what they needed was out of network and not covered, or only covered to a small extent. Medicare parts A and B don't have a network, so no "out of network" denials.

Can you switch back from the advantage plan back to original Medicare option? Is this only allowed during open enrollment ? Also can you add the medigap during open enrollment or you can do it any time ?

Company medical at 65 is now secondary and is only 50,000 max lifetime. A medigap or advantage policy is still needed, right? How would that work with a medigap. Whatever medigap doesn't pay for I can turn into company ins.?

I have plan F-HD. Since plan F will be discontinued after 2020 do you think plan F-HD premiums will go up significantly? I pay $70.95 a month.

I wonnna work with you directly .is this possible ?

Can you explain the LEF? Why is it a life time penalty?

I have been with Supplemental N since I was eligible for Medicare. I chose this route because my husband did nothing when he was eligible and he had a heart attack, which thankfully they cleaned out the "widow maker artery," but needed a pace maker. We had to wait for open enrollment to which he got a Advantage PPO and was able to get his pace maker surgery without much cost to us, this was in 2019 Jan. I have been paying $129 a month for my supplemental since beginning and I am thinking about changing to an Advantage PPO so I can keep my cardiologist and primary care doctor. It seems like we never have bills come in for my husband, and yet I am paying monthly payments for my supplemental and I am being charged for Quest lab work and copays. Also, I have no silver sneakers or any other "goodies." What are your thoughts on this?

It depends on where you live, as to the benefits

Smartly explained without wasting to much of time

Considering entering into the industry, Curious if your agency is agnostic when it comes to Medigap or Medicare Advantage plans, or do you specialize in one option versus the other?

A lot of people don’t have to pay the part B premium it’s based on income and have you looked at the rate increases on med sups? There are amazing advantages to MED advantage

Im in Arkansas 72719 and on disability age 45. It looks like I cannot get supplement insurance until Im 65. So Im considering a medicare advantage plan. I have been on disabilty since 2014 and never had part d so I assume I will have to pay a penalty if I choose an advantage plan. Do you think an advantage plan may be my best choice at this point? I have to see a rhumatologist every 6 months so I assume thats something I would need a referralral for. Could I just get a referral from my primary doctor?

There are also Medicare Advantage PPO plans that work very well and use a large network of doctors in your area and across the country that are considered in-network. Alot of negativity out there on these plans. Much has changed since this video was made. Good information on the comparison but needs updating.

Maybe you can find out more about Cobra. Example I'm on Medicare part b I have private ins from my spouse. She is retired from a large employer at 62. She has lifetime benefits, not as cobra but as a retired employee as if she is still working. they should take primary but they sent me a look letter stating they would be secondary to medicare for me. But they are my primary now

Now that it is 2024 do you have an updated video? I heard that prices may go up in 2025?

well explained , but why people choose adv if it doesn't cover like supp , even they pay 134$ if they have a limitation to choosing doctor

Hello Maam how are you lets talk about business.. Should i contact you?

Can you help me...what is the best.. (1) Original Medicare (2) Medical advantage? 🙏🏽

So...if I get a Medicare Advantage Plan...I still have to pay for Part B?

. I seriously doubt any supplement or Medicare Advantage plan would accept me I have a heart condition (AFIB) and I have cancer.. Also I'm under 65. It sounds like my only option is to run with Medicare part A &B then add a Part D plan does this sound right?

I am watching this, I keep thinking that is a very Handsome Chair you are sitting on. Then I realize that is the same chair I have. What a buy from Ikea.

Excellent video, thank you Stephanie!

Finally I finally get it lol. I've been trying to help out my mom and this video was very very helpful. Thank you 💗

I've been paying into Medicare my entire working career since I was 15. Can someone explain to me why should I be forced to pay a $130.00 premium now that it's time for me to utilize my contributions?

Thank you. I'm staying with my A, B D and G. Plus I have a dental, eye and hearing plan. Being railroad medicare I'd loose benefits if I went with an Advantage plan. I can't take those. Don't want to anyway.

Im on original medicare. 39... Anf disabled. i need to goto a dentist and a eye doctor. I have not been in years because i have no coverage with medicare. medicare advantage seems like a ripoff.What are my options?

Did you forget to post your EMAIL ADDRESS ? I don't seem to be able to find it in your video or in your info above

I am considering Medigap in lieu of Advantage. An in-depth analysis says that will cost me $1,000 per year. But. If I look at OuT of Pocket and assume I have a serious health issue then Medigap makes more sense. Over a 10 year span if I get seriously sick my maximum exposure is $45,000 less for medigap for a net $5100 increased cost of Medigap premiums over ten years

I am 61 and on disability. I was told that I would not qualify to buy a medigap plan and if I kept my r/w/b card, I would be responsible for lots of out of pocket. My best and only option, in this person that called me said, is to get an advantage plan. I am coming off medicaid and will have Medicare only. Is that information correct? Also, I am on SLMB with my helping hands. Do I need to buy from my state since I get that helping hand?

What about the ‘disappearance’ of Medicare supplement F in 2020? Will I be able to switch to another supplement (like supplemen G, for example), and how do I go about it?

Stay with Medicare, keep away from Advantage plans.

Let's not forget the disadvantage plan will fight you if you need any lengthy rehab or cancer treatment. With disavantage you will call your funeral home if you have any costly condition because they will force you to do PA after PA to obtain your treatment

I will live outside the USA for the rest of my life, unless my healthy wife dies. I am 2 1/2 years older than my wife. I may visit the US but not live there unless my wife dies before me. What do I have to pay for just in case my wife wife passes away before me?

Sounds like Part D with Medigap is better than an "Advantage" plan restricting doctors, needing referrals, more out of pocket pay...hmm

❤️❤️❤️

Why so many parts? Seems like there could be just one part to cover all! Why make life more difficult for our seniors?

What if I am a Veteran and on the VA program? Do I need part B and C and D or whatever? My VA program has free drugs and all my health care is covered. Why do I need Medicare and the supplement programs?

Trying to avoid Advantage, but in need of vision and dental coverage.

good overall synopsis. I would content that most MOOPs are not 5-7K, but rather like 3-6.7k, and also that part makes it sound like you are covering the 1st 5-7k as she said, so that is a little biases, and dangerous. Gotta watch your verbiage with the senior demographic, you need to be EXACT. But overall, a decent job.

Traditional medicare is too expensive.

Which is better would depend on the circumstances of the beneficiary. For some a supplement ( if they can afford)is more suitable and for others it is the advantage plan. When you break it down, an advantage plan offers much more than a supplement which only pays , in some cases, deductibles, coinsurance and copays. Original Medicare is the real comparison to Medicare Advantage. Not the supplement.

Another option is just have Original Medicare, but a salesman will tell you, that you have to buy something!!

Sorry, Stephanie, but you missed some huge, critical differences. A) If you have an "advantage plan" then everything that you need requires prior authorization from the insurance plan. See a specialist? You need prior authorization. Get a CT scan? need prior auth. Have a special test done on the pathology specimen? Need prior auth. Every time the prior auth takes a week to two weeks. But, the scan or special test may be denied as well. Can't get that spine MRI that your orthopedist wanted.... authorization was denied. Although authorization may take a few weeks, they add up. Find a lump under your arm? Takes four weeks to see your primary physician. Then it takes a week for authorization for a chest CT scan. But then it takes 4 weeks for the contracted radiologist to do the scan. Then a week for authorization to see a surgeon. Then three weeks to see the surgeon. Surgeons says... "just get a needle biopsy under radiology" . Takes 3 weeks to get that done. Pathology shows melanoma, so need authorization to see an oncologist. Oncologist wants a special test done on the pathology. Needs a week for authorization. Then it takes a week for the pathologist to get the authorization. But then the specimen must be sent to a different lab and they want their own authorization... that takes another two weeks. Furthermore, as part of a medicare advantage plan you don't have a choice of labs and you don't have a choice of radiologist. The labs are drawn locally but done at a lab hundreds of miles away... so simple labs take longer to get back. The radiology group is capitated, so they don't make more money by doing more exams.... so they delay exams and there is often a 4 to 5 week wait. You have no choice, however. And some contracted specialists, like gastroenterologists do nothing but endoscopies and don't give any advice. And it can get worse than this. Please, Stephanie... there needs to be transparency here. You are not telling the whole story.

Healthcare is so out of control that's why some use advantage noone really want to but can't afford 200 or more for supplemental. I think you lose what ever you do and I have not heard one person that really gave good advice.

If medicare was to help people without medical insurance, why do you need supplemental insurance. Might as well give it back with interest.

I always think you’re about to burst out laughing when you speak in your videos. Great explanation btw.

Now I’m really confused

No problems with Kaisers advantage plan. Great care

I hate anthem provider line 🥴

Pick the disadvantage plan so your CEO can earn at least 20 million. I can't bear to see my CEO not earn over 20 million

As a UHC customer service representive I have to say you explained this phenomenally! Come to UHC🤣🤣 All of the plans travel with you! And not only do you have dental, vision, and a hearing benefit, you will also get a free gym membership, and some plans even have the over the counter benefit that GIVES you money to buy over the counter with little to no monthly premium! 😂 😂 IJS

Whoa , most people get medigap? I beg to differ!

Every one of these comparison vids I have seen trash medicare advantage saying they have a $5000 or more out-of-pocket max, sometime times using figure like $7500 and even $8000. My plans OOP max is $2950 for 2024. Of course, using this number will skew the comparison in a direction these "experts" don't like, so they don't use it.

The most important part of Medicare that nobody mentions is the huge discounts from Doctors and hospitals for services. At those rates, it is very difficult to run up a large bill, so catastrophic coverage is less expensive and important and high deductible plan F is very overpriced, especially with self selected healthy people buying it.

thank you... solidified my answer of going with an Advantage plan... $0 premium for health, drugs, dental, vision, hearing, otc, maximum out of pocket protection, travels. no brainer.

Your budget shouldn't be a factor. Affordable insurance is often in adequate and adequate insurance is unaffordable.

I switched from Govt Medicare to a private Advantage plan and was not happy with it. I had back surgery in 2013 and was on numerous opioid pain medications for years. All of the negative press against these types of medications caused me to stop taking them. I started taking back injections every 3 months, that is most that I could take. I would take them every day if I could. I never had an issue with Govt medicare they always paid for these injections, the cost for these is less than the cost for pills. Medicare Advantage paid for injections one time and then began denying services and I had to either go back on pain pills or pay for them myself. I called to question why these injections were denied and was told that they never deny any claim. After digging into this I found that they hired a go between company to approve or deny services to the people they insure. This ploy allows them to say they deny nobody services, What a sham this is, from my experiences I would never get into another Advantage plan.

This is a great video. My anecdote for what it's worth; my retired father had Trans America insurance and paid about $240/month; he could go to any specialist he chose and he paid no deductibles. I'm healthy and will likely go for an Advantage plan because I like the low premium.

The advantage plan benefits the doctors and insurance companies.

You shouldn't have to pay anything, how often do you get sick? Those premiums are a rip off.

If you travel, you won't have coverage.

MUCH information was left out. This video leads one to believe that a "Supplement" plan is much better. That is NOT necessarily true. I just switched from a Supplement plan to an HMO plan. My Supplement plan "F" was increasing to about $250 a month, and I am only 72. My new HMO plan is $0 a month (that's ZERO), and I have an annual MAXIMUM out-of-pocket of $1,000. I have NEVER had Part D (Rx coverage), so I also have to pay about $54 a month penalty. I STILL am saving about $1.500 a year IF I end up getting very sick and have to pay MANY co-pays. If I DON'T get sick, I COULD save as much as $3,000 for the year. That's worth being restricted to some of their rules, I'd say. Where I live I won't even have to change Primary Care Physician, Hospital, or ER. Something to consider BEFORE choosing or staying with a Supplemental plan.

People who want medicare for all are ignorant as to the actual cost of medicare

William Perrow: No I'm not but you definitely are, first of all, you can't sign up for it till you're 55and can't access it till you're 65. Did you even graduate from high school, you seem to have trouble with basic english. I would suggest you take some night courses in basic english.

Bernie Sanders 2020 MEDICARE FOR ALL.

Scams. How about instead of ripping people off you help them. Scam.

btw, dARLING, EVER CONSIDER GETTING A NOSE JOB? YOU NEED ONE.