Medicare Advantage Plans, also known as Medicare Part C, are offered by private insurance companies approved by Medicare. They provide all the benefits of Original Medicare, i.e., hospital insurance and medical insurance, along with additional benefits such as dental, hearing, and vision care. There are four types of Medicare Advantage Plans – Health Maintenance Organization (HMO) Plans, Preferred Provider Organization (PPO) Plans, Private Fee-for-Service (PFFS) Plans, and Special Needs Plans (SNP). HMO Plans have a network of providers and you must stay in the network. With PPO Plans, you have more freedom to see any doctor, but you will pay more out of pocket for services received outside the network. PFFS Plans determine how much they will pay for healthcare services, and doctors and hospitals can choose to accept or deny their payment terms. SNP is designed for people with specific health conditions or that meet certain criteria. Ask your Local Bohemia, NY Medicare Broker for assistance.