No. You will not "lose" your Medicare Part A or Medicare Part B coverage when you join a Medicare Advantage plan (MA or MAPD
or SNP).
Instead, your Medicare Part A and Medicare Part B coverage will be administered or implemented by the Medicare Advantage plan rather than the federal government (however, the federal government maintains oversight and regulates the operation of all Medicare Advantage plans).
A Medicare Advantage plan is required to offer coverage that is at least as good as your "Original" Medicare Part A and Part B coverage - and usually provides additional benefits beyond Original Medicare such as vision coverage, hearing coverage, dental coverage, and often other health-related and non-health-related supplemental benefits. A Medicare Advantage plan can also include Medicare Part D prescription drug coverage (MAPD).
A Medicare Advantage plan also has an annual maximum out-of-pocket spending limit (MOOP) that caps your spending for plan-covered Medicare Part A and Part B cost-sharing, so the MOOP is the maximum amount of money you will spend each year on healthcare cost-sharing. (As a note, your Original Medicare Part A and Part B does not have an annual out-of-pocket spending limit.)
If you decide to leave your Medicare Advantage plan, you will return to your Original Medicare Part A and Part B coverage.
You can join, change, or leave a Medicare Advantage plan during the annual Open Enrollment Period (AEP) that starts October 15th and continues through December 7th or you can leave a Medicare Advantage plan during the Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period (MA-OEP) that starts January 1st and continues through March 31st.
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS or Medicare), under the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), is the federal administrative agency that approves, regulates, and continuously monitors Medicare Advantage plans. If you have any questions about Medicare Advantage plan coverage, you can always contact a Medicare representative at 1-800-633-4227 (1-800-Medicare).
Still have more questions? Click here to let us know.
Instead, your Medicare Part A and Medicare Part B coverage will be administered or implemented by the Medicare Advantage plan rather than the federal government (however, the federal government maintains oversight and regulates the operation of all Medicare Advantage plans).
A Medicare Advantage plan is required to offer coverage that is at least as good as your "Original" Medicare Part A and Part B coverage - and usually provides additional benefits beyond Original Medicare such as vision coverage, hearing coverage, dental coverage, and often other health-related and non-health-related supplemental benefits. A Medicare Advantage plan can also include Medicare Part D prescription drug coverage (MAPD).
A Medicare Advantage plan also has an annual maximum out-of-pocket spending limit (MOOP) that caps your spending for plan-covered Medicare Part A and Part B cost-sharing, so the MOOP is the maximum amount of money you will spend each year on healthcare cost-sharing. (As a note, your Original Medicare Part A and Part B does not have an annual out-of-pocket spending limit.)
If you decide to leave your Medicare Advantage plan, you will return to your Original Medicare Part A and Part B coverage.
You can join, change, or leave a Medicare Advantage plan during the annual Open Enrollment Period (AEP) that starts October 15th and continues through December 7th or you can leave a Medicare Advantage plan during the Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period (MA-OEP) that starts January 1st and continues through March 31st.
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS or Medicare), under the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), is the federal administrative agency that approves, regulates, and continuously monitors Medicare Advantage plans. If you have any questions about Medicare Advantage plan coverage, you can always contact a Medicare representative at 1-800-633-4227 (1-800-Medicare).
Still have more questions? Click here to let us know.
- Browse Medicare Part D prescription drug plans
- Browse Medicare Advantage plans (MAPD)
- Sign-up for our Medicare Part D Newsletter.
- Still have a question? Click here to let us know.