Medicare Advantage enables health plans to offer additional health care benefits to people with Medicare. These benefits give Medicare health plan members more control over the care they receive—all the while reducing their out-of-pocket spending. Some of the benefits that Medicare Advantage health plans offer are:
Extra health care services. These typically include vision, hearing, dental, fitness, and mental health benefits, as well as alternative services like chiropractic or podiatry services, although these extras vary from plan to plan.
Built-in prescription drug coverage. Many Medicare Advantage plans offer a prescription drug benefit, providing subscribers with a single, combined health care package.
Lower out-of-pocket costs. Medicare Advantage beneficiaries are saving an average of $86 per month. And 97% of Medicare Advantage subscribers have access to plans that cap out-of-pocket costs.
Increased savings on prescription drugs. Beneficiaries in 80% of all counties have access to a no-premium drug plan.
Important savings for low-income seniors. Many seniors with incomes between $10,000 and $20,000 rely on Medicare Advantage to provide better benefits and coverage for a lower price than Medicare.
Health discounts. Medicare Advantage health plans encourage seniors to make good health choices by offering discounts on dental care, eyeglasses, fitness centers, and alternative health services (like chiropractic care).
Automatic monitoring of prescription drugs to ensure enrollees are taking the most appropriate medications for their conditions, and to prevent drug interactions.
Assistance and education programs for subscribers; for example, programs that help low-income enrollees get the help they need, that provide coordinated care to individuals who suffer from more than one illness, or that remind individuals about recommended preventive care.