Medicare Advantage Plans

While a majority of Medicare recipients rely on the government program established in 1965 (Original Medicare), a growing number are choosing an option provided through private companies. Known as Medicare Advantage, this program gives Ohioans a choice in how they receive their Medicare health and prescription drug coverage.

Plans Include:

• Aetna, Inc.
• Anthem
• AultCare
• CareSource
• Celtic
• CIGNA
• Humana
• Molina Healthcare of Ohio, Inc.
• Mount Carmel Health Plan
• Paramount Health Care
• SummaCare, Inc.
• The Health Plan
• UnitedHealthCare of Ohio
• WellCare of Ohio, Inc.

The private companies that participate in Medicare Advantage must cover all of the medically necessary services Ohioans would receive if they participated in the Original Medicare plan.  This means that they must provide all Part A (hospital insurance) and Part B (medical insurance) benefits.

However, these plans may also provide additional benefits not covered by original Medicare such as vision, hearing or dental programs. One of the advantages of Medicare Advantage program is that those who participate don’t need to buy a separate “Medigap” policy to cover services Original Medicare doesn’t.

Most Medicare Advantage plans also offer Medicare Part D – the Medicare Prescription Drug program.