The Willamette Valley includes cities such as Salem and Eugene as well as all the surrounding areas. Willamette Valley residents have access to a wide range of Medicare carriers in the state. Medicare Advantage Plans are offered and purchased through different types of insurers, and bill Medicare directly. These insurers include:

• Health Maintenance Organization (HMO) Plans
• Preferred Provider Organization (PPO) Plans
• Private Fee-for-Service (PFFS) Plans
• Special Needs Plans (SNPs)

There are other less common types of Medicare Advantage Plans that may be available:

• HMO Point of Service (HMOPOS) Plans: An HMO Plan that may allow you to get some services out-of-network for a higher cost.
• Medical Savings Account (MSA) Plans: A plan that combines a high deductible health plan with a bank account. Medicare deposits money into the account (usually less than the deductible). You can use the money to pay for your healthcare services during the year.

When choosing a Medicare Advantage Plan it is best to always consider several factors. Factors such as what the plan offers, which medical providers are covered, and price. These factors often vary between plans as well as carriers. It is important to assess your needs carefully and consider different options. Just as plans vary in level of coverage they also vary in price. To accurately compare plans, it is necessary to look beyond just the monthly premium to other out of pocket fees such as deductibles and co-payments.

Finding the right Medicare coverage for your specific needs can be difficult at times. That is where Medicare Supplement Plans, or Medigap insurance, comes into play. Medicare Supplement Plan is an addition to your Medicare coverage.

Every Medicare Supplement Insurance Plan policy must follow federal and state laws designed to protect you, and it must be clearly identified as “Medicare Supplement Insurance.” Insurance companies can sell you only a “standardized” policy identified in most states by letters.

All policies offer the same basic benefits but some offer additional benefits, so you can choose which one meets your needs.

Each insurance company decides which Medicare Supplement Insurance Plan policies it wants to sell, although state laws might affect which ones they offer. Insurance companies that sell Medicare Supplement Insurance Plan policies:

• Don’t have to offer every Medicare Supplement Insurance Plan
• Must offer Medicare Supplement Insurance Plan A if they offer any Medicare Supplement Insurance Plan policy
• Must also offer Plan C or Plan F if they offer any plan

Despite offering the same benefits, prices do fluctuate between carriers. It is therefore important to compare the same plan from one carrier to the next when searching for Medicare Supplement Insurance coverage. In other words, for the most accurate comparison, it is important to compare a Plan F from one carrier to a Plan F at another. Each letter represents a different form of coverage, and it is important to compare the benefits from each plan against your specific needs.

Contact BK Insurance Services for more information and assistance in choosing the right plan at the right price.