Find out whether Medicare Advantage or Medicare Supplement may be right for you.
Ready to compare Medicare plan types? Here are the details.
Medicare Advantage, Medicare Supplement Insurance, and Part D plans can help with costs that Original Medicare does not cover. Benefits, networks, and costs vary by plan and location.
Use this page to review how these plan types work and which factors to consider when comparing options. A licensed insurance agent can also help you review available plans based on your needs.
Medicare Advantage Plans
Medicare Part C, also called Medicare Advantage, is an alternative way to receive your Medicare Part A and Part B benefits through a private insurance company approved by Medicare. Plans must cover medically necessary services that Original Medicare covers, except hospice care and certain clinical research costs, which Original Medicare continues to cover.
Many plans also include Part D prescription drug coverage and may offer one or more additional benefits, such as routine dental, vision, hearing, fitness, or over-the-counter allowances, if available in the plan’s service area.
Explore the section below, or use the link for a more detailed overview of Medicare Advantage Plans.
Medicare Advantage plans are sold by private insurance companies approved by Medicare. They are an alternative way to receive Medicare Part A and Part B benefits and must cover medically necessary services that Original Medicare covers, except hospice care and certain clinical research costs. Extra benefits, networks, premiums, and cost sharing vary by plan and service area.
Medicare Advantage plans typically use HMO, PPO, or PFFS networks. Plan types work differently:
Health Maintenance Organizations (HMO) These plans have a network of participating providers and may require a referral from a primary care physician before you can see a specialist.
Preferred Provider Organization (PPO) A PPO generally costs less when you use in-network providers. You may still use out-of-network providers, often at a higher cost.
HMO and PPO plans are the most common Medicare Advantage plan types.
Private Fee-For-Service (PFFS) PFFS plans set the amount they pay providers and the amount you pay out of pocket. Not all providers accept these plans.
HMO Point of Service (HMOPOS) An HMOPOS plan operates like an HMO but may cover some out-of-network services, often at a higher copayment or coinsurance.
Medical Savings Account (MSA) An MSA plan combines a high-deductible Medicare Advantage plan with a medical savings account that the plan funds for qualified health care expenses.
Special Needs Plans (SNPs) are Medicare Advantage plans for people who have certain chronic conditions, live in an institution, or have both Medicare and Medicaid, and who meet other plan requirements. Extra benefits, including any special supplemental benefits, vary by plan and are not automatic.
Medicare Advantage plans must cover medically necessary services that Original Medicare covers, except hospice care and certain clinical research costs. This includes hospital stays, doctor visits, preventive care, and more.
One or more additional benefits may also be included, such as routine dental, vision, hearing, prescription drug coverage, fitness benefits, and/or an over-the-counter (OTC) allowance, if available in the service area where the plan is offered. Not all of these benefits are nationally available.
Not every Medicare Advantage plan includes every extra benefit, and a plan with a specific benefit may not be available in your area. SmartMatch does not offer every plan available in your area.
Medicare Advantage costs vary by plan. You generally continue to pay the Part B premium (the standard premium for 2026 is $202.90), and some plans charge an additional premium. Plans also have copayments, coinsurance, and deductibles. Many plans have an annual maximum out-of-pocket limit.
Some plans have a $0 plan premium, but a $0-premium plan may not be available in your area. SmartMatch does not offer every plan available in your area.
Common additional Medicare Advantage benefits
Many Medicare Advantage plans may include one or more additional benefits not covered by Original Medicare. Benefits vary by plan and service area, and not every plan includes every extra shown below.
Some extras, such as meal benefits, may be special supplemental benefits available only on specific plans and only to members who qualify. They are not automatic.
The percentages below are national figures from KFF’s “Medicare Advantage 2025 Spotlight: First Look.” They do not mean a given benefit is available in your area or on a plan SmartMatch represents.
Medicare Supplement Insurance, also known as Medigap, is sold by private insurance companies. It is not a replacement for Original Medicare. It works with Medicare Parts A and B to help pay certain deductibles, copayments, and coinsurance.
Original Medicare generally pays a share of approved amounts for covered services; you remain responsible for remaining cost sharing unless a Medigap policy covers those amounts. Coverage, premiums, and enrollment rules vary by plan, insurer, and state.
Explore the section below, or use the link for a more detailed overview of Medicare Supplement Insurance.
Medicare Supplement Insurance plans are sold by private insurance companies. Benefits for each standardized plan letter are set by federal rules in most states. Massachusetts, Wisconsin, and Minnesota use different standardized plans.
Plans with the same letter generally offer the same basic benefits; premiums can still differ by company. Confirm current benefits, premiums, and any medical underwriting rules for your state.
There are ten (10) different standardized Medigap plans available in most states. These plans are identified by letters (A, B, C, D, F, G, K, L, M, and N).
However it's important to note that Plans F and C are not available to new Medicare beneficiaries who became eligible for Medicare on or after Jan. 1, 2020, and again, Massachusetts, Minnesota, and Wisconsin have their own standardized Medigap plans.
Medicare Supplement Insurance (Medigap) helps pay some of the cost sharing in Original Medicare (Part A and Part B), such as deductibles, copayments, and coinsurance, depending on the plan letter you choose.
Important: Medicare Supplement Insurance does not include Part D prescription drug coverage. If you want drug coverage with Medigap, you generally need a standalone Part D plan.
Depending on the plan, Medigap can help with:
Medicare Part A coinsurance and hospital costs after Medicare benefits are used, hospice coinsurance or copayments, and skilled nursing facility coinsurance.
Medicare Part B coinsurance or copayments for covered doctor visits, outpatient care, and medical supplies.
Part B excess charges on some plans, if a provider charges more than the Medicare-approved amount.
Blood (first 3 pints) and, on some plans, limited foreign-travel emergency coverage.
See the comparison chart below for what each standardized plan letter covers.
Medicare Supplement Insurance (Medigap) premiums vary by plan letter, insurance company, pricing method, location, and other factors. You also continue to pay your Part B premium (the standard premium for 2026 is $202.90).
1. Plan type: Plans with more comprehensive coverage typically have higher premiums. For example, Plan G is often more expensive than Plan N because Plan G covers Part B excess charges, while Plan N includes copayments for some office and emergency-room visits. Plan G does not cover the Part B deductible.
2. Insurance company: Premiums can differ between companies even for the same plan letter.
3. Pricing methods: Community-rated (same premium regardless of age), issue-age-rated (based on your age when you first buy the policy), or attained-age-rated (premiums increase as you get older).
4. Location: Premiums can vary based on where you live.
5. Other factors: Some companies offer discounts for factors such as household status, tobacco use, or paying annually.
The following monthly ranges are illustrative 2024 examples for a 65-year-old non-smoker in Kansas City, Mo., and are not current-year quotes. Confirm current premiums for your ZIP code:
Plan G: $158–$410 Plan N: $122–$349 High-Deductible Plan G: $42–$99
Medicare Part D Plans
Part D helps cover prescription drugs. Coverage is available through a standalone Medicare prescription drug plan or, in many areas, through a Medicare Advantage plan that includes drug coverage (an MA-PD). Premiums, formularies, pharmacy networks, deductibles, copayments, and coinsurance vary by plan.
If you have Original Medicare, with or without Medicare Supplement Insurance, you can generally enroll in a standalone Part D plan if you have Part A or Part B and live in the plan’s service area.
Explore the section below, or use the link for a more detailed overview of Medicare Part D.
Medicare prescription drug plans are sold by private insurance carriers; they can either be standalone plans or rolled into Medicare Advantage plans called MA-PDs.
Part D costs vary based on factors such as:
- Whether the drug is on the plan’s formulary - The drug’s tier and any utilization rules - Whether you have met the deductible or reached catastrophic coverage - Whether your pharmacy is in network
You can generally expect:
- A monthly premium - An annual deductible, if the plan has one (the 2026 standard Part D deductible is $615 unless the plan sets a lower amount) - Copayments or coinsurance - A late-enrollment penalty, if applicable
There is no coverage gap. After you reach the annual out-of-pocket limit ($2100 in 2026), you pay $0 for covered Part D drugs for the rest of the calendar year.
Medicare Part D currently has three coverage stages:
Annual deductible: You generally pay the full negotiated cost of covered drugs until you meet the plan’s deductible. The 2026 standard Part D deductible is $615; some plans set a lower amount or $0.
Initial coverage: You pay a copayment or coinsurance for covered drugs, and the plan pays the rest, according to the drug’s tier and the plan’s rules.
Catastrophic coverage: Once you reach the annual Medicare Part D out-of-pocket spending limit ($2100 in 2026), you enter catastrophic coverage. During this phase, you pay $0 for covered Part D prescription drugs for the remainder of the calendar year, while your plan and Medicare cover the remaining costs.
Below is a sample of the kind of tier levels that prescription drug plans use to establish cost levels:
Tier 1: Most generic prescription drugs, lowest co-payment Tier 2: Preferred brand-name prescription drugs, medium co-payment Tier 3: Non-preferred brand-name prescription drugs, high co-payment Specialty drugs and biosimilars: High-cost prescription drugs, highest co-payment
It's important each year to check your Annual Notice of Change and evaluate whether the medications you take have changed in the plan formulary, or the list of prescription drugs covered by your plan.
How to compare your options
Start with the type of coverage.
Decide whether you want a Medicare Advantage plan, or Original Medicare plus a Medicare Supplement plan.
Add prescription coverage.
Use the drug coverage inside a Medicare Advantage plan, or a standalone Part D plan with a Medicare Supplement plan.
Check what you will actually use
Doctors, pharmacies, and the drugs you take matter more than a long list of extras.
Compare cost, not just the premium.
Look at deductibles, copays, and the out-of-pocket maximum. A lower premium can cost more once you fill prescriptions.
This is a solicitation for insurance. Not connected with or endorsed by the U.S. government or the federal Medicare program. SmartMatch Insurance Agency and its divisions are licensed to sell insurance products in all 50 states and DC. Callers will be connected with a licensed insurance agent who can enroll you into a Medicare Advantage, Prescription Drug (Part D) and Medicare Supplement insurance plan.
We do not offer every plan available in your area. Currently we represent 29 organizations which offer 3,502 products in your area. Please contact Medicare.gov, 1-800-MEDICARE (24 hours a day/7 days a week), or your local State Health Insurance Program to get information on all of your options. The plans we represent do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, or sex. Not all plans offer all benefits. Benefits may vary by carrier and location. Limitations and exclusions apply. No obligation to enroll. SmartMatch Insurance Agency represents Medicare Advantage HMO, HMO SNP, PPO, PPO SNP, and PDP organizations that have a Medicare contract. Enrollment in any plan depends on contract renewal.
PLEASE NOTE: Medicare Supplement insurance is available to those age 65 and older enrolled in Medicare Parts A and B and, in some states, to those under age 65 eligible for Medicare due to disability or End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD). Enrollment in a plan may be limited to certain times of the year unless you qualify for a Special Enrollment Period or you are in your Medicare Initial Enrollment Period.
