How to Choose a Medicare Plan with Both Medical and Drug Coverage

These plans are Medicare health plans. More specifically, they are sometimes called Medicare Advantage Prescription Drug (MA-PD) Plans or Medicare Cost Plans. They combine your Medicare hospital and doctor coverage (Parts A & B) with your Medicare prescription drug coverage (Part D) into one plan that you get from a private insurance company.

There may be a number of Medicare health plans available in your community. Since people on Medicare have different needs and preferences, you have choices for your prescription drug coverage. This section will help you choose a plan that is right for you.

Medicare health plans are offered by private insurance companies that receive payments from Medicare to provide Medicare benefits to people who enroll in their plans.
	These plans may cover additional benefits beyond what is covered by Original Medicare.
	They may cost you less.
	They will help coordinate your health care in one plan.
	They are all reviewed and monitored by the federal government.

	Medicare Advantage Health Maintenance Organizations (HMOs)
	Medicare Advantage Preferred Provider Organizations (PPOs)
	Medicare Advantage Private Fee-for-Service (PFFS) Plans
	Medicare Cost Plans
	Medicare Advantage Medical Savings Accounts (MSAs)

	If you choose a Medicare Advantage Plan that is an HMO or PPO, you must get your prescription drug coverage from that plan. If you choose a Medicare Cost Plan you may get your drug benefit from the Cost Plan or from a stand-alone Medicare Prescription Drug Plan (PDP). If you enroll in a PFFS Plan that does not cover drugs and you want this benefit, you may buy a Stand-alone drug plan.