<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC '-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01 Transitional//EN' 'http://www.w3.org/TR/html4/loose.dtd'>; <html><head><title>Article Directory Online : Free Online Article Submission - Articleonlinedirectory | What You Must Know About Medicare Advantage Plans In 2010</title></head><body><h3>What You Must Know About Medicare Advantage Plans In 2010</h3><br /><br />By: <br /><br /><p>2010 is upon us, and if you are retired or approaching retirement, you may be thinking about your Medicare choices. Do you enroll in Original Medicare or choose a Medicare Advantage plan? 2010 is going to be a time of significant change for the private insurance companies selling Medicare health plans as a result of the health care reform signed into law by President Obama. Although this will not affect your Medicare benefits, it may affect how you receive your benefits and how much you pay if you are in Medicare Advantage plan.<br /> <br /> <b>Medicare Advantage Plans in 2010</b><br /> <br /> How Medicare Advantage plans work in 2010 is pretty much the same as they did in 2009. This is true regardless of whether we are talking about Advantage PPO plans, HMO, or any other sort, such private fee for service plans. One major difference, however, is that premium and out-of-pocket costs have generally gone up from 2009. We also find that there are far fewer Advantage plans with zero monthly premiums. Also, in past years there were more plans whose cost sharing was less expensive than Original Medicare. In 2010, we find more Advantage plans whose out-of-pocket costs are nearly the same or greater than those of Original Medicare.<br /> <br /> Just how do Medicare Advantage plans work? Basically the plans must provide you with the same services that Original Medicare (the Medicare program managed by the Federal government) offers but do so according to their policies and procedures. They determine your out-of-pocket costs for all your Medicare covered benefits and are free to add additional benefits such as dental, vision, and hearing aid coverage that Original Medicare does not pay for. It is important to understand that Advantage plan coverage is not the same thing as Medicare supplemental insurance plans. The Medicare Advantage plans in 2010, just as in 2009 and the years before, actually "channel" your Federal benefits through a private carrier. That means they pay instead of Medicare, and that all Medical charges must be sent to the Advantage plan, and that traditional Medicare will not pay while you are in a private plan.<br /> <br /> <b>Medicare Advantage PPO Plans and HMOs</b><br /> <br /> Two of the most common sort of Advantage plans are the Medicare Advantage PPO and HMO. These sorts of plans suit people who expect to receive most of their care in the same, general area as where they live. Both the PPO and HMO have networks of health care providers their members can use, but in an HMO, members must use the provider network in order for claims to be paid. In a PPO, members can go out-of-network without a referral to any doctor they choose as long as the provider agrees to submit claims and accept payment from the insurance company. In both kinds of plan, as with any Advantage plan, you can expect to pay all costs yourself if you receive care outside of the plan service area. The only exception to that is receiving emergency and urgent care. In those situations, the Advantage plans must accept the claims.<br /> <br /> If you join a Medicare Advantage plan, can you still get drug coverage? The answer to that is a solid yes. In fact, most advantage plans include drug coverage, also generally known as Medicare Part D. In 2010, just as in 2009, if you need drug coverage and want to join an HMO or PPO, you must accept the drug coverage offered by the plan. However, if you join a private fee for service plan that does not include Part D, then you would be allowed to join a separate, stand-along prescription drug plan.<br /> <br /> How do you know which kind of plan is best for you? That is tough question. In large part that depends on your understanding of your medical needs and knowing what would make you feel secure. Those able to afford the more expensive, private coverage may prefer to join the Advantage program. Generally speaking, Medicare beneficiaries requiring light to moderate health care are likely to have a better experience in an Advantage plan than those whose health care needs are more extreme. If you are thinking of joining a private plan, we advise giving careful consideration to your health care needs, your cost expectations, and then speaking with plan representatives to determine what is best for you.</p> <br /><br /><b>Author Resource:-></b> Discover <a href=http://www.find-health-insurance-online.com/medicare-advantage-ppo-plans.html>cheap Medicare PPO insurance</a> and get free tips on <a href=http://www.find-health-insurance-online.com/>cheap health insurance for your family</a>.<br /><br /><b>Article From</b> <a href='http://www.articleonlinedirectory.com/'>Article Directory Online : Free Online Article Submission - Articleonlinedirectory</a><br /></body></html>
