Medicare Coverage to Match Your Lifestyle
Looking for a health plan to enhance or complement your Medicare benefits? Whether you want a Medicare Supplement and a separate Prescription Drug Plan, or an all-inclusive Medicare Advantage plan, we have them all! Choose from a variety of insurance carriers, including Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, Blue Care Network, Priority Health, and more.
Bundle Your Benefits In One (Medicare Part C)
Medicare Advantage plans, also called Medicare Part C, are an all-in-one alternative to Original Medicare. These plans are offered by private companies approved by Medicare, so you’ll want to use doctors and other health care providers who participate with the plan. Medicare Advantage plans bundle Medicare Part A (hospital insurance), Part B (medical insurance) and usually Part D (drug coverage) into one plan. Most Medicare Advantage plans offer coverage for things Original Medicare doesn’t cover, like some vision, dental, hearing, gym memberships, over-the-counter drugs, and more.
Your Farm Bureau Health Insurance agent or Medicare Products agent can help you enroll in a Medicare Advantage plan from one of these companies:
- Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan
- Blue Care Network
- Priority Health
Buy Your Benefits A La Carte
If you choose to stay with Original Medicare (Part A – Hospital, and Part B – Medical), you can add on a Medicare Part D prescription drug plan and a Medicare Supplement (also known as Medigap).
Medicare Part D
Medicare Part D helps pay for the prescription drugs you need. To get Medicare drug coverage, you must join a Medicare-approved plan that offers drug coverage. Each plan can vary in cost, pharmacies you can use, and specific drugs covered. There are two ways to get Medicare drug coverage:
- A Medicare drug plan – A plan that only covers prescription drugs.
- A Medicare Advantage Plan – An all-inclusive health care plan that combines your hospital, medical, and prescription coverage into one plan (see above).
Medicare Supplement (Medigap)
A Medigap policy (also called Medicare Supplement Insurance) is private health insurance that’s designed to supplement Original Medicare. This means it helps pay for some of the health care costs that Original Medicare doesn’t cover, like copayments, coinsurance, and deductibles. If you have Original Medicare and a Medigap policy, Medicare will pay its share of the Medicare-approved amounts for covered health care costs. Then your Medigap policy pays its share.
Who's Eligible
To purchase a Medicare Advantage Plan, Medicare Part D prescription drug plan, or Medicare Supplement, you must meet these requirements:
When To Enroll
Your best time to enroll in a Medigap plan is during your Medigap Open Enrollment Period. Your Medigap Open Enrollment occurs once in your lifetime, starting on the first day of the month in which you are both age 65 or older and enrolled in Medicare Part B. This enrollment period lasts for 6 months. During your Medigap Open Enrollment Period, an insurance company can’t use medical underwriting to decide whether to accept your application, and must charge you the same price as people with good health.
If you apply for a Medigap plan outside of your Medigap Open Enrollment Period, insurance companies are generally allowed to use medical underwriting to decide whether to accept your application and how much to charge you for the Medigap policy.
Initial Enrollment Period
When you first become eligible for Medicare at age 65, you have 7 months to enroll in a Medicare Advantage Plan or Prescription Drug Plan, starting 3 months prior to your 65th birthday month.
Annual Enrollment Period
Each year, you can join, switch, or drop a Medicare Advantage or Medicare Prescription Drug Plan during the Annual Enrollment Period from October 15 – December 7. Any changes made during this time period take effect on January 1 of the following year.
Special Enrollment Periods
When you have special circumstances, such as you move or become eligible for other coverage, you may be eligible for a Special Enrollment Period to join, switch, or drop a Medicare Advantage or Medicare Prescription Drug Plan.
We're Here To Help
Disclaimer: We currently represent 6 organizations which offer 46 products in your area, but not every plan is available. Please contact Medicare.gov, 1-800-MEDICARE, or your local State Health Insurance Program (SHIP) to get information on the options available to you.