Medicare Health Plans

Navigating Medicare health plans is not an easy task. That's why Heppner Insurance is on a mission to make understanding your Medicare options easier.

Medicare Supplement Insurance

Medicare Supplement plans, also known as Medigap, are policies sold by private insurance carriers to cover the costs that Medicare does not, such as copayments, coinsurance and deductibles. A supplement will cover its portion of the bill after Medicare has paid its part. Additionally, these plans can offer coverage for items Medicare does not, such as travel outside of the United States, chiropractic care, and fitness memberships.

In general, Medicare Supplement Insurance plans do not rely on a network of doctors, but rather, will allow you to see any physician as long as they take Medicare. Medicare Supplement Insurance plans do not include prescription drug coverage (Part D). Some plans may have more restrictions, so please check with your insurance carrier to confirm.

Medicare Advantage Plans

Medicare Advantage Plans are also known as Part C of Medicare. These plans combine coverage for Part A and Part B of Medicare and sometimes Part D. Medicare Advantage Plans are provided by private insurance companies, but must cover all services covered by Parts A and B of Original Medicare. MA plans can also include additional services not covered by Medicare such as dental, vision, hearing, fitness and travel benefits.

Medicare Advantage Plans may come with a premium, sometimes zero, and are in the form of HMO (Health Maintenance Organization), PPO (Preferred Provider Organization), PPFS (Private Fee For Service), SNP (Special Needs Plan), and MSA (Medicare Savings Account). They are provided by a private insurance company who has a contract with Medicare. Additionally, these plans will provide coverage within a specific network of doctors. It is important to make sure that your doctor and/or hospital is covered when choosing these types of plans.

As an Independent Agency, we represent these carriers, among others:

  • Allina Health Aetna

  • Health Partners

  • Humana

  • Medica

  • UCare

  • United Health Care