What are my Medicare coverage options?
STEP 1: Enroll in Original Medicare.
STEP 2: Decide if you need additional coverage. There are two ways:
OPTION 1: Choose a Medicare Advantage plan.
OPTION 2: Add one or both of the following to Original Medicare.
Medicare options and what they cover
Original Medicare Part A
Part A covers inpatient care, including care received while in a hospital or skilled nursing facility and, in limited circumstances, care received at home.
What it doesn’t cover:
- The Part A deductible and copays you may have to pay when you receive inpatient hospital care.
- You may be responsible for paying these expensesunless you have an additional plan, like a Florida Blue Medicare Supplement plan, that covers those expenses.
Original Medicare Part B
Part B covers doctor’s visits plus many outpatient services and supplies like preventive care, ambulance services, and durable medical equipment.
What it doesn’t cover:
- For most services, you pay a calendar year Part B deductible and coinsurance unless you have an additional plan that covers those expenses.
Medicare Advantage (Part C)
Medicare Advantage ( MA) plans are health plans offered by private organizations, like Florida Blue Medicare, that contract with Medicare.
What it covers:
- Includes all the benefits of Original Medicare Parts A and B.
- Premiums and deductibles vary by plan.
- Usually includes Part D prescription drug coverage.
- Many plans include extra dental, hearing and vision benefits.
- Many plans have a $0 monthly plan premium.
- Florida Blue Medicare Advantage plans include the SilverSneakers® Fitness Program.
- Many plans have transportation services to doctor appointments, pharmacies and more.
Medicare Supplement
A Medicare Supplement plan will help pay deductibles, copays and coinsurance not covered by Original Medicare.
What it covers:
- It helps pay the out-of-pocket health care expenses not covered by Original Medicare.
- You get coverage anywhere in the U.S. ( even emergency care in a foreign country, with some plans).
- No doctor or specialist network restrictions-go to any doctor that accepts Medicare.
What it doesn’t covers:
- Medicare Supplement plans do not cover most prescription drug costs, so they're often paired with Part D prescription drug plans.
- Florida Blue's Same Age Forever program locks in your rate at age 65 forever, and your premium will never go up due to age.
1 Foreign travel emergency coverage only included under BlueMedicare Supplement Plan D, G, M or N and BlueMedicare Supplement Select Plan D or M. BlueMedicare Supplement Select plans require use of network hospitals except in emergencies.
2 The “Same Age Forever” premium rate only applies to our Medicare Supplement and Medicare Supplement Select policies, not our Medicare Advantage or Part D plans. While factors such as medical costs and inflation will increase premiums, you will always pay your entry age rate providing you have continuous BlueMedicare Supplement coverage.
Medicare Part D
Standalone Part D prescription drug plans (PDPs) can help reduce your costs for medications and are available only from private companies or organizations like Florida Blue Medicare.
What it covers:
- Many generic and brand-name drugs with predictable copayments.
- They often include preferred pharmacies for lower cost-sharing
- An extensive list of plan-covered drugs (formulary)
- Most plans offer a mail-order pharmacy service for home delivery of your medications at no extra cost
- If you choose a Medicare Advantage plan, prescription drug coverage is usually included, so you don't need a separate Part D plan.