This morning Good Morning America on ABC ran a story about a woman named Angela Dispenza.  Angela is on a Medicare Advantage plan.  Medicare Advantage plans are Medicare alternatives offered by private insurance companies.  However, a company cannot just create this alternative and market the plan.  It must be approved by Medicare and Medicare funds these plans through payments to insurance companies.  The story stated Angela was denied coverage normally covered by Medicare.  According to a contact at SecureHorizons this is not the case.  In this case, Medicare would have also denied coverage.  The story never gets too specific only stating towards the end that Angela received the "inpatient rehab" for free by the hospital.  The story painted a picture that having Medicare Advantage was worse than simply having only original Medicare.  Here's what the story did NOT tell you:  The story did NOT tell you that Angela had the option to choose a Medicare Supplement plan that would give her additional coverage beyond the costs Medicare covers, and that Medicare Supplement plans are not managed care plans offered by HMO's.  They failed to mention that insurance companies offered her a plan that was not managed care.  A Medicare Supplement is an additional plan guaranteed to all newcomers to Medicare.  One of these is true:  Either Angela did not have a good insurance agent to explain all her options when she turned 65 <or> Angela reviewed all her options and based on her budget and desire for coverage, she chose the plan she is currently on.  It's not bad to be on a Medicare Advantage plan at all.  They are great for people with low incomes who want lower out-of-pocket costs in exchange for having an insurance company manage their care.  It's a trade-off.  Keep in mind these Medicare Advantage plans often have no additional premium cost, or very little additional premium cost.  Advice:  Get a good insurance agent so you can know your options.  It may seem boring or complicated to you to sit down and sift through your options, but if you need to use your coverage you'll be glad you took the extra few minutes.  Some plans cost more than others, so weigh your options with great thought.  Don't let price alone be a deciding factor.  Run through "what if" scenarios so you know what type of coverage you want to be there for you if you were to become ill.  So many people make insurance decisions about their CURRENT health care costs and needs.  Insurance is for FUTURE needs.  Plan accordingly and you'll be ok.  Don't plan or take the time to understand and you'll be in a world of confusion, frustrated, and possibly flat broke.

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