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Medicare Plan types

How the plan types fit together

Original Medicare, Medicare Advantage, drug coverage and Medicare Supplement: what each one is for, without the alphabet soup.

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Plan types

How the plan types fit together

Original Medicare is the federal program itself: Part A for hospital care and Part B for medical care. It covers a lot and still leaves some costs for you to pay.

A Medicare Advantage plan, also called Part C, is a private plan approved by Medicare that gives you your Part A and Part B coverage through one plan, usually with a network.

Medicare drug coverage, Part D, is about your prescriptions. Many Medicare Advantage plans include it.

A Medicare Supplement policy, also called Medigap, helps pay some of the costs Original Medicare leaves you to pay. It works with Original Medicare, not with a Medicare Advantage plan.

Which combination fits depends on your doctors, your prescriptions and how you would rather handle costs. That is the conversation worth having before you choose.

Compared

Four plan types, and which ones go together

Four plan types, and which ones go together A comparison of four plan types: the ACA Marketplace, Medicare Advantage, Medicare Supplement and Medicare Part D. The Marketplace is for people not on Medicare; the other three are for people on Medicare or turning 65. For each it shows who it is for, what it covers, and when you can enroll: the Marketplace from November 1 to January 15 or 60 days after a life event; Medicare Advantage and Part D from October 15 to December 7, with January 1 to March 31 to switch if you are already in an Advantage plan; and a Medicare Supplement in a one-time six-month window that starts when you have Part B at 65. The two Medicare paths are Medicare Advantage on its own, or Original Medicare with a Supplement and a Part D plan. You pick one path, not both, because a Medigap policy can't be used with a Medicare Advantage plan. Premiums, networks and drug lists differ by plan, county and year, so this compares plan types, not specific plans. Four plan types, and which ones go together Sources: Medicare.gov enrollment rules; HealthCare.gov Marketplace dates, checked September 2026 Not on Medicare On Medicare, or turning 65 ACA Marketplace Individual plans Medicare Advantage Part C Medicare Supplement Medigap Medicare Part D Drug plan Who it's for Under 65 and buying your own coverage On Medicare and comfortable with a network On Original Medicare, wants help with its costs Anyone on Original Medicare What it covers A whole private plan: doctors, hospital, drugs Part A and Part B in one plan, drugs usually in it The gaps Original Medicare leaves you to pay Prescriptions only, from that plan's drug list When to enroll Nov 1 – Jan 15, or 60 days after a life event Oct 15 – Dec 7. Jan 1 – Mar 31 if already in one One time only: 6 months from Part B at 65 Oct 15 – Dec 7, every year Which pair up On its own. Not a Medicare plan. One path Advantage alone The other path Original Medicare + Supplement + Part D You pick one path, not both: a Medigap policy can't be used with a Medicare Advantage plan. When you first become eligible for Medicare you get your own enrollment window as well. Premiums, networks and drug lists differ by plan, county and year, so check your doctors and prescriptions too. This chart compares plan types, not specific plans. Benefits and availability vary by where you live. Four plan types, and which ones go together A comparison of four plan types: the ACA Marketplace, Medicare Advantage, Medicare Supplement and Medicare Part D. The Marketplace is for people not on Medicare; the other three are for people on Medicare or turning 65. For each it shows who it is for, what it covers, and when you can enroll: the Marketplace from November 1 to January 15 or 60 days after a life event; Medicare Advantage and Part D from October 15 to December 7, with January 1 to March 31 to switch if you are already in an Advantage plan; and a Medicare Supplement in a one-time six-month window that starts when you have Part B at 65. The two Medicare paths are Medicare Advantage on its own, or Original Medicare with a Supplement and a Part D plan. You pick one path, not both, because a Medigap policy can't be used with a Medicare Advantage plan. Premiums, networks and drug lists differ by plan, county and year, so this compares plan types, not specific plans. Four plan types, and which ones go together Sources: Medicare.gov enrollment rules; HealthCare.gov dates, checked Sept. 2026 Not on Medicare ACA Marketplace Individual plans Who it's for Under 65 and buying your own coverage What it covers A whole private plan: doctors, hospital, drugs When to enroll Nov 1 – Jan 15, or 60 days after a life event Which pair up On its own. Not a Medicare plan. On Medicare, or turning 65 Medicare Advantage Part C Who it's for On Medicare and comfortable with a network What it covers Part A and Part B in one plan, drugs usually in it When to enroll Oct 15 – Dec 7. Jan 1 – Mar 31 if already in one Which pair up One path: Advantage alone Medicare Supplement Medigap Who it's for On Original Medicare, wants cost help What it covers The gaps Original Medicare leaves you to pay When to enroll One time only: 6 months from Part B at 65 Which pair up The other path: Original Medicare + Supplement + Part D Medicare Part D Drug plan Who it's for Anyone on Original Medicare What it covers Prescriptions only, from that plan's drug list When to enroll Oct 15 – Dec 7, every year Which pair up The other path: Original Medicare + Supplement + Part D One path Advantage alone The other path Original Medicare + Supplement + Part D You pick one path, not both: a Medigap policy can't be used with a Medicare Advantage plan. Premiums, networks and drug lists differ by plan, county and year, so check your doctors and prescriptions too. When you first become eligible for Medicare you get your own enrollment window as well. This chart compares plan types, not specific plans. Benefits and availability vary by where you live.
Sources: Medicare.gov enrollment rules and HealthCare.gov Marketplace dates, checked September 2026.

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