Glossary
Medicare Part C (Medicare Advantage)
A way of receiving Medicare through a private company approved by Medicare, instead of directly through Original Medicare.
Part C, usually called Medicare Advantage, is a different route for receiving the same Medicare entitlement. Instead of Medicare paying providers directly, a private company approved by Medicare manages your coverage and must follow rules Medicare sets. These arrangements bundle Part A and Part B, and usually Part D drug coverage, into one package. They spread costs differently across a year than Original Medicare does: there is generally a yearly limit on what you pay out of pocket, which Original Medicare does not have, and in exchange the choice of doctors and hospitals is usually limited to a network, and some care needs approval in advance. Many include extras such as vision, hearing, or dental. This matters to you because the trade is between a cost ceiling and a narrower choice of providers. Which side of that trade suits you depends on your own doctors and your own health, so the place to look at what is actually offered where you live is the Plan Finder at medicare.gov, 1-800-MEDICARE at 1-800-633-4227, or your free State Health Insurance Assistance Program counselor.