How to choose
Medicare Advantage vs Medigap
These are two different structures, not two grades of the same thing. One replaces how you receive Medicare; the other sits alongside it and pays what it does not.
The short answer
Choose Medicare Advantage if you want lower monthly cost, are comfortable using a provider network, and want dental, vision, hearing and drug coverage bundled together. Choose a Medicare Supplement if you want to see any doctor in the country with no network, prefer predictable costs at the point of care, and do not mind paying a higher monthly premium plus a separate Part D plan.
| Medicare Advantage (Part C) | Medicare Supplement (Medigap) | |
|---|---|---|
| What it does | Replaces how you receive your Part A and Part B benefits | Works alongside Original Medicare and pays the share it does not |
| Provider access | Uses a network. Outside it, except emergencies, you generally pay your own costs | Any doctor in the country who accepts Medicare. No network |
| Prescription coverage | Most plans include Part D | Not included. You add a separate Part D plan |
| Extra benefits | Often includes dental, vision and hearing benefits | No extras. Those are bought separately as optional riders |
| Monthly premium | Some plans charge a nominal premium; Medicare pays the plan a fixed amount monthly | You pay a monthly premium for the Supplement, plus your Part D premium |
| Cost when you use care | Copays and coinsurance at the point of service, reduced in many cases versus Original Medicare alone | Little to nothing beyond the premium, depending on the plan letter |
| When you can change it | Annual Enrollment Oct 15 to Dec 7, one change in Open Enrollment Jan 1 to Mar 31, or a Special Election Period | Any time of year. The Annual Election Period does not apply |
| How carriers differ | Networks, extras and costs vary plan by plan and change annually | Benefits are standardized within a plan letter, so carriers differ on price and service |
Who each one tends to suit
Neither structure is better in the abstract. The right answer depends on your doctors, your prescriptions, your travel, and how you would rather pay: steadily every month, or at the point of care.
Medicare Advantage tends to fit when
- Your doctors and specialists are already in the plan’s local network.
- You want dental, vision, hearing and drug coverage in one plan.
- You prefer a lower monthly premium and can absorb copays when you use care.
- You stay in one area for most of the year.
A Medicare Supplement tends to fit when
- You want to keep any doctor in the country who accepts Medicare.
- You travel, or spend part of the year outside Arizona.
- You would rather pay a known monthly amount than variable costs at the point of care.
- You see specialists often, or expect to.
The question that decides it more often than any other
In practice the comparison usually turns on two concrete facts about your life, not on the general merits of either structure: whether your specific doctors are in a given Advantage plan’s network, and how your specific prescriptions price out under each plan’s formulary. Both are checkable, and both change annually.
That checking is what an independent agent does. Because carriers pay a standard commission regardless of which plan you choose, there is no financial reason for us to push you toward either structure, and there is no cost to you for the comparison.
You are not locked in forever
You can change Medicare Advantage plans during the Annual Enrollment Period from October 15 through December 7. The Open Enrollment Period from January 1 through March 31 allows one Medicare Advantage plan change, or lets you drop Medicare Advantage to return to Original Medicare and add a Part D plan. A Medicare Supplement can be joined or switched at any time of year. Full detail is on our enrollment periods page.
Comparison questions
- What is the difference between Medicare Advantage and a Medicare Supplement?
- A Medicare Advantage plan replaces how you receive your Part A and Part B benefits, usually adds extras like dental, vision and drug coverage, and uses a provider network. A Medicare Supplement works alongside Original Medicare to pay the share Medicare does not, lets you see any doctor nationwide who accepts Medicare, and needs a separate Part D plan.
- Which one is cheaper?
- They move the cost around rather than simply being cheaper or more expensive. Medicare Advantage tends to have a lower or no monthly premium with copays and coinsurance when you use care. A Supplement has a higher monthly premium, plus a Part D premium, with little to nothing owed at the point of service depending on the plan letter.
- Can I switch from Medicare Advantage to a Medicare Supplement?
- The Open Enrollment Period from January 1 to March 31 allows you to drop a Medicare Advantage plan and go back to Original Medicare, adding a Part D plan if you wish. It is highly encouraged that you seek the help of a Medicare professional before making changes during OEP.
- Which is better if I travel or live part of the year outside Arizona?
- A Medicare Supplement keeps Original Medicare's nationwide access, so you can see any doctor in the country who accepts Medicare with no network to check. That is usually the deciding factor for people who spend part of the year elsewhere.
- Which is better if I want dental, vision and hearing included?
- Medicare Advantage plans often include dental, vision and hearing benefits, though the allowances vary widely between plans. With a Supplement you would buy those separately as optional riders, which gives you more control over the level of coverage.
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