Medicare Advantage

Medicare Advantage

In 9 languages

LanguageTerm
EnglishMedicare Advantage
Spanish (Español) Medicare Advantage
Chinese (中文) 医疗保险优势计划
Korean (한국어) 메디케어 어드밴티지
Vietnamese (Tiếng Việt) Medicare Advantage
Filipino (Tagalog) Medicare Advantage
Portuguese (Português) Medicare Advantage
Thai (ภาษาไทย) Medicare Advantage
Japanese (日本語) メディケアアドバンテージ

What it means

Medicare Advantage (Part C) is an alternative to Original Medicare offered by private insurance companies approved and regulated by Medicare. These plans must cover everything Original Medicare covers but frequently add benefits such as dental, vision, hearing, and fitness programs. Most Medicare Advantage plans include prescription drug coverage (Part D). You typically select a network of providers and may need referrals for specialist care. Premiums, network size, and extra benefits vary widely by plan and location. To enroll, you must already have Medicare Parts A and B and live in the plan's service area. You can switch back to Original Medicare during annual enrollment periods if your needs change.

How to say it

Sentences a patient might use with a doctor, nurse, pharmacist, or insurer:

Medicare Advantage plan—Part C

plan de Medicare Advantage—Parte C

private Medicare managed care plan

plan de atención administrada de Medicare privado

Medicare HMO or PPO plan

plan HMO o PPO de Medicare

Where you'll see it

Medicare and You handbookMedicare plan finder on medicare.govAnnual Notice of Change (ANOC)Evidence of Coverage (EOC)

Related terms

Sources

US Glossary Español A–Z US Codes United States

Last reviewed: September 2026