With the rising cost of healthcare, it’s no wonder more American seniors are turning to the often overlooked Medicare Part C, also known as Medicare Advantage. When it comes to comprehensive healthcare plans, none come close to Advantage plans. With multiple options and companies to choose from, you’re sure to find something that fits your needs.
That being said, it’s often difficult to pinpoint exactly Medicare Advantage plan best fits your needs. Fortunately, each year there is a 5-star rating by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) that help you measure each plan’s quality and performance.
Factors that determine these scores include customer service, member engagement, chronic disease management, and preventative care services. The best advantage plans are based on their star ratings and positive reviews. Most of these plans were rated three out of five stars and have an average rating of 4.5 or higher stars. So, without further ado, let’s jump into the 5 best Medicare Advantage plans for 2019.
KelseyCare Advantage takes the top spot for having the best customer service and member engagement. It also scored high for treating members with long-term chronic disease management. This health plan is known for its exceptional customer service when it comes to its drug plan. KelseyCare currently has 30,000 members across four counties located in Fort Bend, Galveston, Harris, and Montgomery.
Six of the Kaiser Permanente programs have five stars for their chronic disease management and preventative care services. The Kaiser Permanente health plan for Massachusetts beneficiaries received top marks for keeping its members up to date on plan changes.
Kaiser is also known for effectively resolving complaints to those who reside in California, Colorado, Georgia, Hawaii, Maryland, Oregon, Washington, and the District of Columbia.
The Tufts Health plan in Massachusetts earned high marks for its chronic disease care, member engagement, and preventative care services. The only part where this health insurance plan didn't receive high marks was in customer service for its drug prescription plan. This Medicare Advantage plan provides insurance plans for beneficiaries living in Central and Eastern Massachusetts.
BCBS of Minnesota earned rave reviews for its medical and prescription drug plan. This plan is available to Medicare Advantage beneficiaries that live in 55 of the state's 87 counties. The plan also received high marks for effectively resolving plan issues and chronic disease management.
The CDPHP is a health care plan that's available to beneficiaries living in Massachusetts. It received a high rating for outperforming in its customer service categories. It even got rave reviews for its chronic disease management and preventative care services. This health plan is available to members who live in the 21 counties in the state of New York.
What you pay for your Medicare Advantage plan depends on various factors. Some of these factors include whether the plan has a monthly premium, whether your plan has an annual deductible, or whether you need additional benefits and the plan charges for these benefits.
Medicare will pay a certain amount to the companies that offer Medicare Advantage plans. These companies have to follow Medicare rules. Each Medicare Advantage plan differs when it comes to out-of-pocket costs. They also have different rules for seeing specialists, doctors, facilities, or suppliers. These rules may change each year.
Most Medicare Part C plans should include prescription drug coverage. You can join a separate Medicare prescription drug plan if you have a plan that doesn't provide prescription drug coverage, or does not want to provide coverage.
You may be removed from your Medicare Advantage plan and enrolled in Original Medicare if you choose to join a separate Medicare prescription drug plan. You can learn more about your Medicare coverage by speaking to a customer service representative or visiting the Medicare.gov website.
