Does a Medicare Comparison Website Really Show Every Medicare Plan?

When you shop for Medicare coverage online, you may see some very impressive promises.

“Compare every Medicare plan.”

“See all plans available in your ZIP code.”

“Find the best Medicare plan.”

Those phrases sound reassuring. They also deserve a closer look.

Medicare is not a single insurance policy. Depending on where you live, there may be Medicare Advantage plans, Medicare prescription drug plans, Medicare Supplement policies and different insurance companies competing for your business.

So when a Medicare website says it can show you “every plan,” an important question should immediately come to mind:

Every plan from whom?

That question is one reason MedicareSelfEnroll.com believes Medicare education should come before enrollment.

Education First. Enrollment Second.

An informed senior makes better choices.

No Medicare Website Should Make You Stop Asking Questions

There is nothing wrong with using an insurance agency, broker or online comparison platform to investigate Medicare plans.

In fact, technology can make comparing plans substantially easier than it was years ago.

At MedicareSelfEnroll.com, our approach is to give you tools to learn about Medicare, understand your choices, practice comparing plans and then investigate available plans from multiple insurance companies.

But there is an important distinction:

A private Medicare comparison platform may not represent every Medicare plan available in your area.

That doesn’t make the platform useless.

It simply means you should understand what you’re looking at.

Medicare itself provides an official Plan Finder at Medicare.gov where beneficiaries can research Medicare Advantage and Part D plans available in their areas. Medicare says its tools can be used to compare plans, review costs and services, and enter prescription drugs to estimate monthly and annual drug costs.

That makes Medicare.gov an important second source when you’re making a Medicare decision.

Think of Medicare Shopping Like Buying a Car

Suppose you walk into a Ford dealership.

There may be dozens of vehicles on the lot. You can compare SUVs, sedans, trucks, colors, engines and prices.

But you wouldn’t expect the Ford dealership to suddenly roll a new Toyota out of the back room.

The dealer can show you what it represents.

Medicare insurance works somewhat similarly.

An independent Medicare broker or comparison system may represent several insurance companies. That can give you a substantial selection of plans to examine.

But it does not automatically mean every company or every plan in your area is represented.

That’s why wording matters.

There is an important difference between:

“Compare every Medicare plan available in your area.”

and:

“Compare Medicare plans available through our comparison platform.”

The second statement tells you exactly what you’re doing.

And that’s the kind of transparency consumers deserve.

Medicare Advantage Plans Can Differ Considerably

The differences among Medicare Advantage plans can go well beyond monthly premium.

Plans can differ in:

• Provider networks
• Copayments
• Coinsurance
• Prescription drug formularies
• Pharmacy networks
• Maximum out-of-pocket limits
• Prior authorization requirements
• Additional benefits
• HMO versus PPO rules

Medicare’s own comparison information shows that HMO, PPO, Private Fee-for-Service, Special Needs and Medical Savings Account plans can operate under very different rules. For example, Medicare notes that PPO members generally may use out-of-network providers, although doing so may cost more, while HMOs generally have more restrictive network requirements.

That’s why asking only:

“What’s the premium?”

isn’t enough.

A $0-premium Medicare Advantage plan is not necessarily a $0-cost healthcare plan.

Premium is only one number.

Your Doctors Matter

Before enrolling in a Medicare Advantage plan, one of the most important questions is whether the doctors and hospitals you want to use participate in that plan’s network.

Don’t assume.

Don’t rely solely on something you remember from last year.

And don’t assume that because a doctor participates with one plan from an insurance company, that doctor participates in every plan offered by that company.

Provider networks can vary.

Medicare recommends checking whether your doctors and pharmacies are in a plan’s network before enrolling.

If keeping a particular specialist, hospital or medical group is important to you, verify participation.

Ideally, verify it with both the plan and the healthcare provider.

Your Prescriptions Matter Too

Prescription coverage deserves the same attention.

Medicare Part D plans and Medicare Advantage plans that include drug coverage use formularies—a list of covered medications.

Medicare explains that each Part D plan has its own formulary.

That means a drug covered favorably by one plan may be handled differently by another.

The plan may place the drug on a different tier.

It may have prior authorization requirements.

It may use quantity limits.

Your preferred pharmacy might also be treated differently.

This is why Medicare plan shopping shouldn’t be reduced to a television commercial saying:

“Call now to see what benefits you may qualify for.”

Your real Medicare decision is far more personal than that.

Your doctors.

Your prescriptions.

Your expected healthcare use.

Your finances.

Your choice.

Medicare Advantage Is Only One Side of the Decision

Before comparing individual Medicare Advantage plans, there’s an even bigger question.

How do you want to receive your Medicare coverage?

For many people, this is the real fork in the road.

One direction is:

Original Medicare + potentially a Medicare Supplement policy + prescription drug coverage.

The other is:

Medicare Advantage.

These approaches work differently.

Medicare explains that Medicare Advantage plans are generally offered by private insurance companies that contract with Medicare and provide Medicare Part A and Part B benefits.

Medigap, by contrast, is supplemental insurance sold by private insurance companies to help pay certain out-of-pocket expenses under Original Medicare.

Before worrying about which company’s logo is on the insurance card, understand which road you’re considering.

That decision can affect costs, provider access, prescription coverage and the way you use healthcare.

Don’t Let the Word “Free” Make the Decision for You

Another word that deserves scrutiny in Medicare advertising is:

FREE.

You might hear about “free benefits,” “free groceries,” “free dental” or plans with a “$0 premium.”

Some Medicare Advantage plans do offer additional benefits.

And some plans do have a $0 monthly premium.

But you still generally must continue paying your Medicare Part B premium, and healthcare services can involve copayments, coinsurance and other out-of-pocket costs.

Medicare’s comparison information makes clear that Medicare Advantage plans can have different premium and cost-sharing structures.

So instead of asking:

“What can I get for free?”

ask:

“What will this plan cost me if I actually need healthcare?”

That’s a much more useful question.

Why We Encourage You to Check Medicare.gov

A private comparison system can be convenient.

Medicare.gov is an additional resource every Medicare beneficiary should know exists.

The federal Medicare website provides tools for finding and comparing Medicare Advantage plans, Part D plans and Medigap policies.

You can also call 1-800-MEDICARE for assistance.

This isn’t an either-or decision.

You don’t have to choose between using a private comparison platform and using Medicare.gov.

Use both if that helps you make a better-informed decision.

The objective isn’t to finish your Medicare shopping as quickly as possible.

The objective is to understand what you’re buying.

That’s Why Medicare Disclosures Matter

Medicare marketing is regulated, and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services establishes requirements governing Medicare Advantage and prescription drug plan communications and marketing.

One disclosure you may see from organizations that don’t represent all Medicare plans explains that the organization does not offer every plan available in a person’s area and that Medicare.gov or 1-800-MEDICARE can provide information about all options.

Don’t treat that disclosure as meaningless fine print.

It tells you something important.

It tells you the universe of Medicare plans may be larger than what one particular agent, broker or comparison system represents.

That’s useful information.

Technology Can Help—But You Still Make the Decision

This is where Medicare shopping has changed dramatically.

Twenty years ago, most Medicare beneficiaries depended heavily on printed brochures, telephone calls and face-to-face meetings with insurance agents.

Today you have access to Medicare.gov, online comparison systems, insurance company websites, provider directories, prescription drug tools and artificial intelligence.

AI can help you formulate questions.

It can help explain terminology.

It can help you organize information.

It can help you compare features you may otherwise overlook.

But technology should help you understand the decision—not make the decision for you.

That’s the philosophy behind MedicareSelfEnroll.com.

How AI Works for You

Use technology to become a better-informed Medicare consumer.

Ask questions.

Learn what Medicare Advantage is.

Learn what Medigap is.

Understand Part D.

Compare costs.

Check doctors.

Check prescriptions.

Review the evidence.

Then make your own decision.

Practice Before You Enroll

One of the biggest advantages of online Medicare comparison is that you don’t have to enroll simply because you started looking.

At MedicareSelfEnroll.com, we encourage people to learn first.

Watch the Medicare education seminar.

Test your Medicare knowledge.

Practice comparing plans.

Look at costs.

Investigate networks.

Review prescription coverage.

Then, when you’re comfortable, compare plans available through the comparison platform.

You can explore privately.

There is no reason Medicare shopping should feel like buying a used car while three salespeople stand around the desk waiting for your signature.

Take your time.

And What Happens After You Enroll?

Here’s another subject that doesn’t get enough attention.

Once you’ve enrolled in an insurance plan, the insurance company services the policy.

If you need a new insurance card, you contact the insurance company.

If you have questions about a claim, you contact the insurance company.

If you want to verify benefits, you contact the insurance company.

Your insurance carrier’s customer-service number will generally appear on your member identification card.

Medicare.gov and 1-800-MEDICARE also remain available Medicare resources.

That is one reason we believe self-enrollment can make sense for consumers who are comfortable researching and making their own decisions.

Five Questions to Ask Before Enrolling

Before selecting a Medicare plan, ask yourself:

1. Does this comparison system represent every Medicare plan available in my area—or only certain plans?

2. Are my doctors, hospitals and specialists in the plan’s network?

3. Are my prescription drugs covered, and what might they cost?

4. What could I pay during a year when I need significant medical care?

5. Have I independently checked Medicare.gov or another reliable source before making my final decision?

Those five questions may be more valuable than a hundred Medicare advertisements.

The Bottom Line

You don’t need a website to tell you:

“This is the best Medicare plan.”

You need information that helps you understand your choices.

There may be many good Medicare plans.

There may also be plans that simply don’t fit your particular doctors, prescriptions, finances or preferences.

That’s why MedicareSelfEnroll.com doesn’t believe Medicare education should begin with:

“Which plan do you want to buy?”

It should begin with:

“Do you understand your choices?”

Learn first.

Ask questions.

Use today’s technology.

Compare plans available through the resources you choose.

Check Medicare.gov.

Verify the important details.

Then decide.

Because when it comes to Medicare:

Education First. Enrollment Second.

An informed senior makes better choices.

Visit MedicareSelfEnroll.com to learn about Medicare, test your understanding, practice comparing plans and explore your Medicare options.

MedicareSelfEnroll.com does not offer every plan available in your area. Information provided through our comparison platform is limited to the plans available through the companies represented by the platform. For information about all available Medicare options, visit Medicare.gov or call 1-800-MEDICARE.