There are so many companies selling Medicare Advantage that it's very easy to fall for the pitch. Add in the fact that Medicare Advantage plans cost $0 per month and include prescription drug plans at no extra cost, and it seems like a good move right?

So why do most honest Medicare experts tell their clients to avoid them at all cost? Even if it means they make fewer sales and less money?

It's simple. Medicare Advantage plans are worse health insurance. They restrict your access to doctors, charge you more money over time through copays and deductibles, and even introduce the risk of you not being covered if you get admitted to an "out of network" hospital.

But perhaps worst of all, if you get sold a Medicare Advantage plan during your 6-month "new to Medicare" enrollment period, you miss the window of time when the Medigap companies must by law offer you favorable pricing, and can't by law reject you from a Medigap plan.

So you could get stuck for life in an inferior coverage plan. This could be so harmful down the line when you need top notch health care that it borders on agent malpractice in our opinion.

Medicare Advantage Plans Restrict Access to Doctors

Medicare Advantage plans save money by negotiating discounts with doctors and hospitals. But that means they don't include all doctors or hospitals in their networks. Some plans try to wow you with shiny benefits like $0 premiums, but if you can't see the doctor you want, what's the value of health insurance?

Medigap plans include every doctor and hospital that accepts Medicare, which is around 99% of all doctors and hospitals in the USA.

Medicare Advantage Plans Can Delay Care

If you have a critical diagnosis, you need to see specialists right away. Days could matter. But most Medicare Advantage plans require a referral from a primary care physician before you can get to the specialist. Making matters worse, the limited number of specialists in network could have scheduling delays.

With Medigap, you can go directly to a specialist, and you have access to basically all of them, so it will be easier to find one with an immediate opening.

Medicare Advantage Plans Charge Deductibles and Copays

At first glance, $0 monthly payments look good. But nothing is free in life, and Medicare is no different. Instead of charging you monthly premiums, Medicare Advantage plans charge you down the line. Every time you go to a doctor, there is a copay. And before the plan pays a penny, you generally have to pay the first few thousand in cost per year.

The Importance of Your "New to Medicare" Window

If down the line you decide you want to switch to Medicare Advantage after really learning the Medicare system, you always can. But if you take Medicare Advantage first, you can't come back to Medigap without risking being denied or paying far far more than you could have.

By law, insurers must offer everyone who is new to Medicare the same pricing and access to Medigap plans. The insurance companies would rather screen by health and then either deny or charge more based on that screen. They aren't allowed to, but ONLY during the first 6-month enrollment window when you're new to Medicare. Once in, you're safe, and they can't kick you out, no matter what happens to your health or how costly you become. But if you miss this window, you could get locked out for life.

So What Should You Do Next?

The best advice we can give you really depends on if you're new to Medicare or if you already have Medicare and a plan.

If you're new to Medicare, it's really important that you don't miss any deadlines. If you miss your Initial Enrollment Period, you could lose your ability to get an affordable MediGap plan. If you miss your Part B enrollment deadline, you will have to pay monthly penalties for the rest of your life.

That's why we created our free personalized Medicare calendar/ deadline reminder tool. It personalizes to your birthday and retirement situation, and will help you make sure you don't miss any of these deadlines. Medicare is complicated enough, don't get punished for something silly like missing one of these dates.

So we can point you in the right direction, what best describes where you are now?

There are so many companies selling Medicare Advantage that it's very easy to fall for the pitch. Add in the fact that Medicare Advantage plans cost $0 per month and include prescription drug plans at no extra cost, and it seems like a good move right?

So why do most honest Medicare experts tell their clients to avoid them at all cost? Even if it means they make fewer sales and less money?

It's simple. Medicare Advantage plans are worse health insurance. They restrict your access to doctors, charge you more money over time through copays and deductibles, and even introduce the risk of you not being covered if you get admitted to an "out of network" hospital.

But perhaps worst of all, if you get sold a Medicare Advantage plan during your 6-month "new to Medicare" enrollment period, you miss the window of time when the Medigap companies must by law offer you favorable pricing, and can't by law reject you from a Medigap plan.

So you could get stuck for life in an inferior coverage plan. This could be so harmful down the line when you need top notch health care that it borders on agent malpractice in our opinion.

Medicare Advantage Plans Restrict Access to Doctors

Medicare Advantage plans save money by negotiating discounts with doctors and hospitals. But that means they don't include all doctors or hospitals in their networks. Some plans try to wow you with shiny benefits like $0 premiums, but if you can't see the doctor you want, what's the value of health insurance?

Medigap plans include every doctor and hospital that accepts Medicare, which is around 99% of all doctors and hospitals in the USA.

Medicare Advantage Plans Can Delay Care

If you have a critical diagnosis, you need to see specialists right away. Days could matter. But most Medicare Advantage plans require a referral from a primary care physician before you can get to the specialist. Making matters worse, the limited number of specialists in network could have scheduling delays.

With Medigap, you can go directly to a specialist, and you have access to basically all of them, so it will be easier to find one with an immediate opening.

Medicare Advantage Plans Charge Deductibles and Copays

At first glance, $0 monthly payments look good. But nothing is free in life, and Medicare is no different. Instead of charging you monthly premiums, Medicare Advantage plans charge you down the line. Every time you go to a doctor, there is a copay. And before the plan pays a penny, you generally have to pay the first few thousand in cost per year.

The Importance of Your "New to Medicare" Window

By law, insurers must offer everyone who is new to Medicare the same pricing and access to Medigap plans. The insurance companies would rather screen by health and then either deny or charge more based on that screen. They aren't allowed to, but ONLY during the first 6-month enrollment window when you're new to Medicare. Once in, you're safe, and they can't kick you out, no matter what happens to your health or how costly you become. But if you miss this window, you could get locked out for life.

If down the line you decide you want to switch to Medicare Advantage after really learning the Medicare system, you always can. But if you take Medicare Advantage first, you can't come back to Medigap without risking being denied or paying far far more than you could have.

So What Should You Do Next?

The best advice we can give you really depends on if you're new to Medicare or if you already have Medicare and a plan. Then, if you do already have a plan, it depends on if you're already in Med Supp or Med Advantage. If you already have a Med Supp plan, its likely you shouldn't change anything.

So we can point you in the right direction, what best describes where you are now?