|
35,375 seniors rely on Medicare Advantage plans in Representative Wilson's district |
Medicare Advantage offers more benefits at lower costs than original Medicare and serves nearly 40% of all seniors on Medicare in the First Congressional District of New Mexico.
Some in Congress have proposed shifting money from Medicare Advantage to a health insurance program for kids. While Heather Wilson supports additional funding for kids' health insurance, she opposes taking it from Medicare Advantage.
"I am a strong supporter of the Medicare program and would not support cuts to Medicare that reduce benefits for our most vulnerable seniors and limits choices for low-income and minority senior populations," says Rep. Heather Wilson.
Some of the best known Medicare Advantage Plans in New Mexico are the
-
Lovelace Senior Plan,
-
Presbyterian Senior Care,
-
Blue Medicare PPO from BlueCross BlueShield, and the
-
Humana Gold Choice plans.
How do Medicare Advantage Plans differ from the Original Medicare Plan?
While the Original Medicare Plan pays for many health care services and supplies, it doesn’t pay all of your health care costs. You still have to pay for the “gaps” in Medicare coverage such as coinsurance, copayments, and deductibles. The Official U.S. Government Site for People with Medicare recommends that in addition to traditional Medicare you should purchase a “Medigap policy to cover these gaps in Medicare coverage” as well as a joining a Medicare Prescription Drug Plan to cover the cost of your prescriptions.
In contrast, Medicare Advantage Plans offer more services and usually have lower out-of-pocket costs than the Original Medicare Plan. Each Medicare Advantage plan is different, allowing for Medicare users to find a plan that fits their needs.
Additional benefits offered by various Medicare Advantage plans are
|
57,674 seniors rely on Medicare Advantage plans in New Mexico |
- routine annual physical exams,
- worldwide urgent and emergency care,
- routine vision benefits,
- preventative care and wellness benefits,
- fixed copays for provider services, and
- chronic care initiatives such as disease management programs.
There are several Medicare Advantage options available for New Mexico’s seniors. To find and compare Medicare Health Plans in New Mexico visit the Medicare website search engine. Just type in your zip code and specified information and press the continue button for a list of all Medicare Health Plans in your area. To learn more about Medicare coverage options or to enroll in a Medicare Advantage Plan visit the Medicare website.
For general Medicare information, ordering Medicare booklets, and information about health plans, you may also call 1-800-MEDICARE 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for assistance. English and Spanish-speaking customer service representatives at this number can answer questions about the Original Medicare Plan and provide up-to-date information regarding the health plans available in your area.
|