COMPARE YOUR MEDICARE COVERAGE
Medicare Advantage vs. Medigap
Medicare Advantage and Original Medicare with Medigap can both be appropriate ways to receive coverage. Compare doctors, prescriptions, costs, travel, flexibility and enrollment rights.
Two Paths. One Personal Decision.
Original Medicare + Medigap
Advantage Plan
PATH TWO · PLAN-BASED COVERAGEPATH ONE · FLEXIBLE PROVIDER ACCESS
Original Medicare provides Part A and Part B. A Medigap policy can help pay certain eligible costs; outpatient prescriptions generally require a separate Part D plan.
Doctors: Generally any provider nationwide who accepts Medicare.
Costs: Compare the Part B, Medigap and Part D premiums plus remaining cost sharing.
Travel: Useful for care across the U.S.; check the policy for any foreign travel benefit.
Timing: Medigap enrollment protections matter. Later applications may require medical underwriting.
A Medicare-approved private plan provides your Part A and Part B benefits. Many plans include Part D, but not all.
Doctors: Check the specific network, service area, referrals and rules for care outside the network.
Costs: Compare Part B and any plan premium, copays, deductibles and the annual limit on covered medical costs.
Prescriptions: Check your drugs, formulary, pharmacy and total annual cost.
Travel: Check routine care away from home; emergency and urgent care rules differ.
Timing: You generally need an applicable enrollment period to join, leave or change a plan.
Before you change coverage
The fall Medicare Open Enrollment Period lets eligible people make certain Medicare Advantage and Part D changes. It does not create a new annual Medigap Open Enrollment Period. Federal Medigap Open Enrollment is generally a one-time six-month period beginning when you are 65 or older and enrolled in Part B. Outside a protected period, medical underwriting may apply unless a guaranteed-issue right applies.
If you are leaving Medicare Advantage, confirm the election period, Medigap approval and effective date, your return to Original Medicare, and any separate Part D coverage before ending your current plan. Do not assume that leaving Medicare Advantage guarantees a Medigap policy.
Compare around your own needs
Explore Medicare Advantage in North Carolina and Medicare Supplement in North Carolina.
Bring your doctors, prescriptions, preferred pharmacies, current coverage, expected costs and travel plans. Neither path is automatically better. Ask April to review the options available in your North Carolina county; there is no obligation to enroll.
Ask April Mai is an independent insurance agency and is not affiliated with or endorsed by the U.S. government or the federal Medicare program. Plan availability, benefits, costs, networks, formularies and eligibility vary by plan, county and year. For information about all Medicare options, visit Medicare.gov or call 1-800-MEDICARE.
Last reviewed: September 29, 2026.