Medicare Advantage Insurance in Utah

First Option Insurance is offering medicare advantage insurance solutions in Utah.

While Medicare Parts A and B offer important protections, many Utah seniors might need more coverage. Anyone looking for extra protection should consider Medicare Part C.

Other methods of supplementing Medicare coverage include through employer group health insurance policies, Medicare supplement plans or the Qualified Medicare Beneficiary Program. When coverage from employers and the QMBP is not an option, Medicare Advantage could be the best solution left. It should be compared alongside other supplement plan options before deciding, though.

An insurance agent who specializes in Medicare Advantage can help seniors evaluate and compare their various supplementary options.

Yes, Medicare Advantage and Medicare Part C plans are essentially the same thing. The term Medicare Part C aligns with the standard “parts” terminology used in Medicare, whereas Medicare Advantage is a more common term. Both refer to the same type of plan.

The distinctive feature of Part C plans is that they’re managed by a private insurer. While Parts A and B are still overseen by the federal government, premiums and claims are processed through a private insurer. The insurer is also responsible for offering any additional protections included in the specific Medicare Advantage/Part C plan.

Medicare Part C plans are a bit different from other lettered Medicare Parts. Whereas most letters indicate a given set of coverages, Part C plans can vary in the coverages they offer. The Part C nomenclature indicates that these plans are administered by private insurers, which manage both the public and private parts of coverage—rather than what they cover. 

To ensure the right coverage, seniors should consult a knowledgeable insurance agent when looking at plan features.

Part C plans, depending on their specific terms and features, can cover a variety of healthcare expenses that Medicare Part A and Part B don’t cover. Part C could help pay for expenses such as:

• Primary care visits
• Specialist visits
• Hospital inpatient procedures
• Outpatient surgeries
• Scans and texts
• Urgent care and emergency room

Original Medicare Part A and Part B generally provide consistent coverage across all 50 states. They usually don’t have networks, so long as physicians, practices and facilities broadly accept Medicare assignment.

Since Medicare Advantage plans are partly underwritten by private insurance companies, though, the insurer-underwritten portion frequently doesn’t have as broad acceptability. The private portion only often has a provider network. A network may be national, regional or statewide, and it’s common for some providers to not participate.

Seniors should consider the network when selecting a plan, as the costs for in-network and out-of-network care can vary greatly.

Federal law typically restricts seniors to having only a single Medicare supplement plan, and Medicare Advantage plans are considered as such. Even without this regulation, getting a second plan would likely result in unnecessary duplication of certain protections.

If seniors are looking for extensive protection, they should consider opting for a more comprehensive Medicare Advantage plan, rather than looking for a second one.

Navigating through the standard and optional protections that Medicare provides can be complex. For help evaluating Medicare Advantage plans and other plan options, contact the independent insurance agents at First Option Insurance in Utah.