When is it better for a dually eligible person to choose to enroll in a Medicare Advantage plan instead of Original Medicare?

It depends. A person who is dually eligible and does not have access to an integrated care plan may benefit from enrolling in a Medicare Advantage plan (as well as their state Medicaid program) instead of Original Medicare if they:

• Anticipate needing extra benefits such as vision, dental, and hearing services that Original Medicare does not offer
• Have existing providers who are part of the Medicare Advantage plan’s network
• Do not anticipate needing health care when traveling outside of the country

Note: There are special types of Medicare Advantage plans, called Dual Eligible Special Needs Plans (D-SNPs), that are available only to dually eligible people. D-SNPs tailor their benefits, provider networks, and drug formularies to meet the unique needs of dually eligible people. D-SNP enrollees are not required to also enroll in their state Medicaid program, as Medicaid benefits are already included in the plan.