About Medicare
Medicare is health insurance for people age 65 or older. You may also get Medicare earlier if you have certain disabilities, End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) or ALS (also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease). Original Medicare (Part A and Part B) provides hospital and medical insurance. Medicare Advantage plans (Part C) offer the same benefits as Original Medicare, plus so much more.
Original Medicare vs. Medicare Advantage
Original Medicare only covers 80% of your healthcare expenses, and it doesn’t cover eye exams, most dental care, routine exams, and other health benefits.
Most Medicare Advantage plans offer many benefits that Original Medicare does not, including prescription drugs (Part D). See the chart below.
Original Medicare (Parts A & B) provides: | Medicare Advantage HMO plans (Part C) offer benefits such as: | Medicare Advantage PPO plans (Part C) offer benefits such as: | |
---|---|---|---|
Coverage for hospitalization, doctors, skilled nursing facility, outpatient care, preventive services | |||
Prescription drug coverage | |||
Dental, vision, and hearing benefits, OTC Plus/OTC or Flex card allowance, 24/7 telemedicine, fitness/gym membership, nutrition counseling | |||
Annual maximum out-of-pocket protection | |||
Option to see any provider in the U.S. that accepts Medicare | Only in medical emergencies |
Your Choice of Healthfirst HMO & PPO Medicare Advantage Plans
With Healthfirst, you can get the care you need with as low as $0 monthly plan premiums, 24/7 access to care, a large network of healthcare providers, and more.
Choose one of our HMO plans if you want access to care from 100,000+ provider locations.* For more flexibility—including the option to go out of network; a $700/year Flex card that you can use to pay for dental, vision, and hearing costs; and other benefits—enroll in our PPO plan.
*The number of provider locations is current as of October 31, 2023 and subject to change due to periodic changes in our network.
Enroll and get connected to Healthfirst professionals:
- If you're eligible, our Care Management Team can help coordinate care with your doctor and specialists to manage any chronic conditions.
- Our Pharmacy Team can help you get the prescriptions you need and remind you to refill on time.
- Long-Term Care Specialists will help you get the assistance you need to live as independently as possible in your home.
- Plus, many other Healthfirst teams working for your health.