Decoding health insurance options can be daunting for people age 65 and over. Those who have paid 10 years of Social Security taxes qualify for Medicare at age 65. They’re automatically signed up if they’re receiving Social Security payments, unless they take steps to opt out. Standard Medicare comes in two parts: A and B. Part A covers a portion of hospitalization expenses, and Part B applies to doctor bills and other medical expenses, such as lab tests and some preventive screenings.

But some seniors may find better value in Medicare Part C, or Medicare Advantage. Such plans are run by private insurance companies but regulated by the government, and must offer coverage that’s comparable to original Medicare parts A and B. Most also include prescription drug coverage, which is an optional add-on called Part D for seniors who keep original Medicare.

Some Medicare Advantage plans cost nothing more per month than original Medicare, while others come with a higher monthly premium. (Any additional premium is added to what you would otherwise pay for Medicare Part B – about $105 per month in 2013, which for most people is automatically deducted from their Social Security checks.) Medicare Advantage plans are similar to private insurance that self-employed individuals buy on the open market, in that they have different monthly premiums, copays, coinsurance and out-of-pocket limits. The trade-off for a lower premium (or none) could be higher copays or coinsurance.

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