Medicare Advantage and Other Medicare Plans, is designed for Medicare partners, trainers, and other information intermediaries. This training module was developed and approved by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), the Federal agency that administers Medicare and Medicaid. This set of National Medicare Training Program materials is not a legal document. The official Medicare program provisions are contained in the relevant laws, regulations, and rulings. The information in this module was correct as of April 26, 2007.

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People with Medicare may be able to get health care coverage in several ways. The Original Medicare Plan, available nationwide, is a fee-for-service plan managed by the Federal government. In the Original Medicare Plan, people with Medicare Part A (hospital coverage) and Part B (medical coverage) can get all medically-necessary and preventive Medicare-covered services.

In addition, there are other ways besides the Original Medicare Plan that people can get their Medicare health coverage.

Congress created Medicare Advantage to let more private insurance companies offer coverage to people with Medicare, giving them more choices in how to get their Medicare benefits. Medicare Advantage Plans (sometimes called Part C) and other Medicare plans are health plan options that are part of the Medicare program. If people join one of these plans, they generally get all their Medicare-covered health care through that plan. All types of Medicare Advantage and other Medicare plans are not available in all areas. People can also choose to get Medicare prescription drug coverage (sometimes called Part D) in one of two ways:

Join a stand-alone Medicare Prescription Drug Plan. People can enroll in a stand-alone PDP to add drug coverage to the Original Medicare Plan, Medicare Cost Plans, Medicare Medical Savings Account Plans, and Private Fee-for-Service Plans that do not offer Part D drug coverage.

Join a Medicare Advantage Plan (like an HMO or PPO) or other Medicare plan that includes prescription drug coverage as part of the plan.