First, a brief review of Medicare Advantage plans:
(1) A Medicare Advantage plan includes your Medicare Part A (in-patient and hospitalization coverage), Medicare Part B (out-patient and physician coverage), and may include additional healthcare benefits (such as vision, dental, or fitness coverage). (2) A Medicare Advantage plan may include Medicare prescription drug coverage (MAPD) or can be offered without drug coverage (MA). (3) You cannot add a stand-alone Medicare Part D plan (PDP) plan, if you are enrolled in a Medicare Advantage (MA) plan, -- unless your Medicare Advantage plan is a MSA or PFFS plan. (4) A Medicare Advantage plan is not a Medicare Supplement (Medigap plan) and cannot be used with a Medicare Supplement.
Highlights of the 2019 Medicare plan landscape with links to additional information:
- The
total number of 2019 Medicare Advantage plans will increase.
Across the country, there will be 14% more Medicare Advantage plans offered in 2019. Overall, there will be 3,431 Medicare Advantage plans (MAs and MAPDs) available in 2019, as compared to 3,001 Medicare Advantage plans offered in 2018. You can click here to read more about the number (and type) of Medicare Advantage plans available in 2019.
- Most
2019 Medicare Advantage plans will offer prescription drug coverage (MAPDs).
As in past years, around 92% of 2019 Medicare Advantage plans will include prescription drug coverage (MAPDs). You can click here to read more about the annual changes in the number of Medicare Advantage plans offering prescription drug coverage.
- Most
Medicare Advantage plans are HMOs.
The majority (around 77%) of 2019 Medicare Advantage plans will be Local HMOs (Health Maintenance Organizations). However, there will be a 21% increase in 2019 Medicare Advantage plans that are Local PPOs (Preferred Provider Organizations). You can click here to read more about the different types of Medicare Advantage plans offered in 2019.
- Even
with more Medicare Advantage plans offered in 2019, many counties will see
significant changes in their Medicare Advantage plan landscape.
When viewed in detail, many 2018 Medicare Advantage plans will be terminated in 2019 or merged into other 2019 plans. The counties with the largest number of 2018 Medicare Advantage plans that will no longer be available in 2019 are found in Minnesota. You can see more 2019 Medicare plan changes using our 2018/2019 Medicare Advantage plan compare tool: MA-Compare.com/2019. You can click here to read more about changes in Medicare Advantage plan availability across the country.
- 2019 Medicare Medical Savings Accounts (MSAs)
will be more widely available.
In 2019, Medicare Medical Savings Accounts (MSAs) will be available in 19 states (1,262 counties) across the country. In 2018, MSAs were available to Medicare beneficiaries in only 111 counties across two states. Unlike other Medicare Advantage plans, MSAs are made up of a high-deductible health plan and a medical savings account funded by an annual tax-free deposit. MSA members can use the medical savings account to pay for healthcare costs before the health plan deductible is met. MSA members can enroll in any available stand-alone Medicare Part D plan (PDP) for their drug coverage.
- Monthly
2019 Medicare Advantage plan premiums will remain low.
As in past years, close to 77% of all 2019 Medicare Advantage plans will have monthly premiums under $50, with around 39% of the 2019 Medicare Advantage plan having a $0 premium. You can click here to read more about changes in Medicare Advantage plan premiums and see a chart of how Medicare Advantage plan premiums have changed since 2014.
- More
2019 Medicare Advantage Special Needs Plans (SNPs) - with large changes in the SNP landscape.
Although about 28% of the 2018 Medicare Advantage Special Needs Plans (SNPs) will be discontinued in 2019. There will be an introduction of so many new 2019 SNPs, that there is a resulting 9.5% increase in the total number of SNPs. Overall, there are fewer 2019 Chronic Illness SNPs, with more Dual-Eligible (Medicare-Medicaid) SNPs and Institutional SNPs. You can click here to learn more about the 2019 Medicare Advantage Special Needs Plans and how the SNP landscape has changed since 2014.
- A few
more 2019 MAPDs have a
$0 Rx deductible and $0 premium.
21% of all 2019 Medicare Advantage plans will include prescription drug coverage with a $0 premium and $0 drug coverage deductible. You can click here to read more about the 2019 $0/$0 Medicare Advantage with Prescription Drug Coverage plans (MAPDs).
- A few
2019 Medicare Advantage plans will offer some variation of the standard Initial
Coverage Limit (ICL) of $3,820.
A higher ICL means that you can buy more medications before reaching the Donut Hole. You can click here to read more about Medicare Advantage plans offering a variation in the standard Initial Coverage Limit.
- Slightly
more 2019 MAPDs will offer Donut Hole coverage.
37% of MAPD plans will offer some level of additional drug coverage should you reach the 2019 Donut Hole -- as compared to 34% of MAPDs in 2018.
All MAPD plans will honor the 2019 Donut Hole discount that will increase to 75% for brand-name drugs (you pay 25%) and 63% for generic medications (you pay 37%).
- More
2019 Medicare Advantage plans will have a higher Medicare Part A and Part
B Maximum Out-of-Pocket (MOOP)
Limit.
The number of Medicare Advantage plans having the statutory maximum MOOP of $6,700 will increase to 30% of all 2019 Medicare Advantage (up from 28% in 2018). You can click here to learn more about the Maximum Out-of-Pocket Limits for 2019 Medicare Advantage plans and how MOOPs have changed since 2014.
To get you started with your review of 2019 Medicare Advantage plans available in your area, just click on your state and then click on your county name: AL AR AZ CA CO CT DC DE FL GA HI IA ID IL IN KS KY LA MA MD ME MI MN MO MS MT NC ND NE NH NJ NM NV NY OH OK OR PA RI SC SD TN TX UT VA VT WA WI WV WY.
You can also use our 2019 Medicare Advantage plan finder (MA-Finder) to review plans in your area - found directly at: MA-Finder.com/2019. The MA-Finder currently displays the plan premium, prescription deductible, Gap or Donut Hole coverage availability, and Medicare Part A and Part B Maximum Out-of-Pocket limit (MOOP), drug tier cost-sharing, health coverage information, formulary information and star ratings.
You can also use our 2018 / 2019 MA-Compare tool to see how your 2018 Medicare Advantage plan is changing in 2019. Our Medicare Advantage comparison tool can be found directly at: MA-Compare.com/2019.
No need to rush.
The Annual Enrollment Period (AEP) for 2019 Medicare Part D plans and Medicare Advantage plans begins on Monday, October 15th and continues through Friday, December 7th, with 2019 Medicare plan coverage beginning on Tuesday, January 1, 2019. For more information, Medicare beneficiaries can telephone Medicare at 1-800-633-4227 to speak with a Medicare representative.
Some Extra Help recipients may need to act to keep their 2019 Extra Help status.
The 2018 / 2019 CMS, SSA, and Medicare plan mailings schedule is online and includes notices for people who need to submit information to keep their 2019 Extra Help status. So be sure to review anything you receive from Medicare or the Social Security Administration as some Medicare Part D Extra Help recipients will need to act or risk losing their Medicare Part D Extra Help or Low-income Subsidy (LIS) in 2019. Please click here to read more about the LIS mailings. When in doubt, contact your local Medicaid office for more information or call Medicare at 1-800-633-4227.