Sacramento Medicare Advantage plans from companies like Blue Shield and Health Net, all provide very comprehensive Medicare HMO plans for the person living in Sacramento County.
If you are looking for a plan with more choice and flexibility when seeing doctors or hospitals, you will want to compare Medicare Supplement plans and rates, click here.
The upcoming Open-Enrollment starts October 15 and ends December 7. All changes and new enrollments take effect on January 1. Call me on October 1, that is when I will have access to all Medicare Advantage companies and plans through out California.
- A traditional Medicare Supplement plan from from companies like; Anthem Blue Cross, UnitedHealthcare, Blue Shield or Health Net and many others providing Medicare Supplement plans to Sacramento residents.
- Medicare Advantage plans which are generally HMO’s and replace Medicare as the primary coverage.
- Medicare Part D Rx plans which helps pay for a members prescription costs. All three are integral parts of your Medicare plan coverage, and they work very different from each other. Make sure to ask plenty of questions before you enroll, and enroll in the best plan for your unique situation. Coverage, cost, flexibility are all provided but at different degrees depending on the plan you choose.
Plans to choose from … Medicare plans come in a wide range of options. A Medicare Supplement will provide the most coverage along being able to see any doctor or hospital in the U.S. who accepts Medicare. You can’t get much better than that!
Medicare Advantage plans look very similar to an employer health insurance plan and in most cases include the Part D Rx plan for no additional cost. Medicare Advantage plans typically have a very low monthly premium and have an annual open enrollment (October 15 thru December 7).
Most of the major health insurance companies offer a variety of HMO plans to choose from. The biggest difference between them will typically be what doctor networks they contract with. Also the Out of Pocket Maximum amounts may be different. Other than that, all HMO’s will work very similar to themselves.
Sacramento Hospitals … If you live in the Sacramento area you will want to make sure your plan offers coverage at the following hospitals and Medical Groups: Sutter, Mercy, UC Davis, Methodist and Sierra Vista.
Medicare PPO … With a PPO (Preferred Provider Organization) Medicare plan, you’ll pay a lower share of your medical expenses when use doctors or hospitals that participate in our PPO network. Your share of expenses includes:
- Deductible: typically this is an amount you pay each calendar year for certain services your Medicare plan covers before the plan starts paying. Please note that some PPO plans may not have different deductible amounts which the member is responsible for.
- Copayment: A dollar amount for office visits and other medical services.
- Out of Pocket Maximum: This is an annual amount you would be responsible for before the insurance company pay 100% for the rest of the year. An average annual out of pocket maximum is usually around $999 – $7,000 per year. This is the most you would pay even in the event of a major illness or accident.
The amount of your deductible and coinsurance depends on the plan that you choose. A PPO plan will also pay a portion of the cost of services you may receive from a non-participating (non-network) provider or hospital. But your share of the cost will be higher.
So if you are shopping or would like information on a Sacramento Medicare plan, please feel free to browse this website for information, or contact me with any question.
Please call anytime with questions.
John Conner
916-682-1117
john@johnconner.com
