How do I decide what medicare part B program to sign up for?

Question

When you have choosen to take part B you have a choice (option) HMO , PPO or straight government part B. Here is were my options lye.What do I choose . How do I decide whats best for my circumstance.

Answer 1

As mentioned above, there is only one Part B.

You have additional options. You can get a Medicare Supplement policy to cover what Part A and B do not cover. If you get a supplement you'll need a separate stand alone Part D (prescription) plan.

Instead of a supplement you can get a Medicare Advantage plan (Medicare Part C). These are the HMO, PPO, and PFFS plans. Many will have Part D included.

The HMO has a network, and with most plans you cannot go to a doctor outside the network. You also need a referral from your primary care doctor to see a specialists.

The PPO also has a network. You can go to a doctor outside the network, although your costs will be higher. You do not need a referral to see a specialists.

The PFFS plans do not have a network. You can see any doctor the accepts Medicare and the plans payments.

Although dependent upon your area, many Part C plans have a premium as low as $0 per month. The Medicare Supplement will have a premium of $110 - $150 for a good plan, and Part D plans have a premium of $10 - $70 per month.

Visit a local independent agent in your area that works in the senior market and represents all the major companies. It is very confusing and there is no way to explain it all to you here.

Answer 2

There is only one medicare part B plan; you don't have a choice. You can choose Part D plans, and they are all listed on the http://www.medicare.gov website. They have a nice search engine for it.

Answer 3

Not sure cuz they make it confusing on purpose. They want you to pick the plan that would benefit them.