How To Find the Best Medicare Advantage Plan in Minnesota
When you enroll in Medicare, you can choose between staying on Original Medicare or switching to Medicare Advantage. Both Original Medicare and Medicare Advantage have pros and cons you should be aware of. Nationwide, just over 50% of people have chosen to enroll in Medicare Advantage. In Minnesota, 57% of people on Medicare have chosen to switch to Medicare Advantage. If you’re considering enrolling in a Minnesota Medicare Advantage plan, then this guide is for you! We'll explain the pros and cons of Medicare Advantage, share details about some of Minnesota's top Medicare Advantage plans, and explain how you can find the best Minnesota Medicare Advantage plan for your unique needs.
Key Takeaways:
There are 72 Medicare Advantage plans in Minnesota.
57% of people in Minnesota choose Medicare Advantage over Original Medicare.
One of the biggest reasons people choose Medicare Advantage plans is because they provide extra benefits that Original Medicare doesn’t.
Medicare Advantage plans have their drawbacks, including common practices that can limit or delay your access to care.
The best Medicare Advantage plan is different for everyone, and you should consider personal needs and preferences to find the right Medicare plan for you.
Quick facts about Medicare Advantage plans in Minnesota
It’s important to note that Medicare Advantage plan availability varies by county. Some counties have more plans available than others, and the available plans will be different.
57% of Minnesota Medicare enrollees are on a Medicare Advantage plan.
Enrollment in Medicare Advantage varies by county. For example, in Anoka County, MN, 71% of people choose Medicare Advantage. In Stevens County, MN, 6% of people choose Medicare Advantage.
There are a total of 72 Medicare Advantage plans in Minnesota in 2024.
The number of plans available varies by county. For example, there are 45 plans available in five counties, including Anoka County. Stevens County has only 8 plans available.
It's important to understand Medicare Advantage's pros and cons, what plans are available to you, and how to compare your options. Let's start with their pros and cons.
Overview of Medicare Advantage pros and cons
Like all health insurance options, Medicare Advantage has both pros and cons. Understanding the pros and cons can help you avoid a Medicare Advantage nightmare and maximize the value you get from Medicare. We’ll provide a quick overview of the pros and cons of Medicare Advantage plans below. For more information, read our complete guide on Medicare Advantage.
Pros of Medicare Advantage plans
One of the biggest reasons people choose Medicare Advantage plans is because they come with extra benefits that Original Medicare doesn’t provide. Most Medicare Advantage plans include Part D (prescription drug) coverage at no additional cost. They also tend to provide coverage for dental, vision, and hearing services. Finally, there are plenty of other additional benefits, like flex cards, OTC cards, transportation services for doctor appointments, fitness memberships, and more.
The other big advantage of Medicare Advantage plans is an out-of-pocket limit. Original Medicare doesn't have an out-of-pocket limit and doesn't cover ~20% of costs. This means that if you need a surgery that costs $100,000, you'd be responsible for about $20,000. With a Medicare Advantage plan, your share of costs will vary from plan to plan, but you'll have a maximum out-of-pocket amount that caps your expenses.
Cons of Medicare Advantage plans
There are a few drawbacks to Medicare Advantage plans, but in this quick overview, we’ll cover two that result in limited or delayed access to care: plan networks and prior authorization requirements. Medicare Advantage plans use plan networks to limit costs.
You're likely familiar with carrier networks because they're a common practice among employer health insurance plans. That said, Medicare Advantage plan networks are local. Additionally, if you stay on Original Medicare, there are no networks. This means that, with Original Medicare, you can see any doctor who accepts Medicare—which is over 90% of doctors nationwide.
Prior authorization is also a common requirement among employer health plans. But, Original Medicare doesn’t require prior authorization, which leads to quicker access to the care you need. Furthermore, many doctors and patients complain about how often prior authorization is required and denied. Learn more about Medicare prior authorization requirements.
Top-rated Medicare Advantage plans in Minnesota
We’ve already covered that Medicare Advantage plan availability varies by county. It’s also important to highlight that the best Minnesota Medicare Advantage plan is different for everyone. We’ll explain what to look at in the next section, but you should consider your unique needs when choosing the right plan for you. That said, Medicare does provide star ratings for Medicare Advantage plans that can help you choose between the plans that will work for you. These star ratings go from 1-5, with a 5-star rating being the best.
There are at least two 5-star rated plans in Wabasha County, NM. To find out if there are any in your county, get in touch! There are also a number of 4.5-star rating plans in many counties. For example, Anoka County, MN, has 14 4.5-star Medicare Advantage plans from multiple carriers, including Humana, Aetna, Ucare, and Blue Cross.
To get information on top-rated Medicare Advantage plans in your county, get in touch with us! We’ll help you compare all your options and weigh the pros and cons of each.
How to pick the best Minnesota Medicare Advantage plans for your needs
Three key things go into choosing the best Minnesota Medicare Advantage plan for you. First, take note of your preferred doctors and other healthcare providers. You'll want to make sure these providers are in your plan's network.
Second, make note of all the prescriptions you take. While not every Medicare Advantage plan includes prescription coverage, most do. Since each plan will have different costs and coverage for your prescriptions, you should take this into consideration when choosing a Medicare Advantage plan.
Finally, Think about the additional benefits that are important to you. As we mentioned, many people choose Medicare Advantage because of the extra benefits, like dental coverage. Make sure you know which benefits are important to you because this can lead to an easier decision.
Once you’ve jotted down all your needs and preferences, give us a call at 855-900-2427 to get help comparing your options. We’ll look at all the plans that cover your needs, then maximize the value you get from extra benefits and cost savings. Not ready to give us a call? You can also schedule a time to talk through your Medicare here.