Tiffany Di Pietro explains Medicare Advantage plans, which private insurers like Humana and United offer. These plans require prior authorizations and restrict coverage to control costs, sometimes limiting access to scans and medications. She recommends traditional Medicare Part B with a supplement instead.
So we've made it to Medicare Part C, which is a Medicare Advantage plan. As I like to call them, Medicare take advantage of the patients plan. And the reason these exist is to simplify the process for patients. So the Part A, Part B prescription drug coverage, all encompassing, you only deal with one company. But you are no longer dealing with Medicare. You're dealing with another company. You're dealing with Humana, United, Aetna, these kind of things. The problem with this for the patient is you can't just get whatever you want. It's back to square one, just like as if you had commercial insurance. The doctors have to get prior authorizations. What the doctor wants, they might not approve because they're trying to cost control. The federal government is giving them a dollar amount and they have to take that dollar amount and utilize healthcare to the patient. How does this company make money if they're not saving it on you? They don't. So their way of making money, this company, is to save cost on you. Which means you might not be getting the best scans, you might not be getting the best medications. And a lot of times I will tell you from experience, you are not getting the best medications because they will not be covered and certain scans will not be covered. So you're right back to square one, just as we are having to deal with commercial insurances for patients under the age of 65. When a patient is in an Advantage plan, which is very cost-effective, and I understand some patients have to do this and I wholeheartedly understand that, that's better than nothing. But if you have the choice, You never do a Medicare Advantage plan. You always do a Part B with a supplement so you take control of your own healthcare. One more to come.
