Yes, you can! But, we recommend evaluating all of your healthcare options (i.e., enrolling into Medicare versus staying on an employer group health plan or vice versa) instead of assuming that one is better for you than another. We can help you determine this so you are able to rest assured, knowing you have made a confident, educated decision for your health care needs.

Medicare Advantage Plan, also known as Part C, is a Medicare Plan run by private insurance companies.  A Medicare Advantage Plan offers all of the benefits covered under Original Medicare and more. Medicare pays a fixed fee to the plan you choose in accordance with the 2003 Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act. It covers all of the benefits covered under original medicare plus additional benefits.

1. You must have Medicare Part A and Part B.
2. A Medigap policy is different from a Medicare Advantage Plan. Those plans are ways to get Medicare benefits, while a Medigap policy only supplements your Original Medicare benefits.
3. You pay the private insurance company a monthly premium for your Medigap policy. You pay this monthly premium in addition to the monthly Part B premium that you pay to Medicare.
4. A Medigap policy only covers one person. If you and your spouse both want Medigap coverage, you’ll each have to buy separate policies.
5. You can buy a Medigap policy from any insurance company that’s licensed in your state to sell one.
6. Any standardized Medigap policy is guaranteed renewable even if you have health problems. This means the insurance company can’t cancel your Medigap policy as long as you pay the premium.
7. Some Medigap policies sold in the past cover prescription drugs. But, Medigap policies sold after January 1, 2006 aren’t allowed to include prescription drug coverage. If you want prescription drug coverage, you can join a Medicare Prescription Drug Plan (Part D).
8. It’s illegal for anyone to sell you a Medigap policy if you have a Medicare Advantage Plan, unless you’re switching back to Original Medicare. In other words, you cannot have both a Medigap policy and a Medicare Advantage Plan.

• Disability benefits from Social Security for 24 months
• Certain disability benefits from the RRB for 24 months

You don’t need to sign up if you automatically get Part A and Part B. You’ll get your red, white, and blue Medicare card in the mail 3 months before your 25th month of disability.

Medicare and Medicaid are both government health care programs but they are very different. Medicare is generally for people who are older or disabled. Medicaid is for people with limited income and resources. When a person qualifies for both programs out-of-pocket costs can be minimal.ps.