The underwriting trap most people miss
Your Medigap open-enrollment window at 65 is one-time. If you choose Advantage now and want Medigap at 72, carriers in most states can deny you or charge more for pre-existing conditions. The cheap MA premium today can lock you into MA networks permanently.
- • MA plans can change networks and drug formularies every January.
- • Medigap works with any doctor who takes Medicare, nationwide.
- • Snowbirds and travelers almost always want Medigap.
Related guides
Long-form playbooks on the same topic, written by the RevenueLab editorial team.
FAQ
Is Medicare Advantage really cheaper?
In healthy years, yes — often by $1,500–2,500/yr. In a year with a hospitalization plus regular specialist visits, copays can reach the ~$8,300 out-of-pocket maximum, erasing years of savings in one bad year.
Can I switch from Advantage to Medigap?
You can enroll during annual election periods, but outside your initial 6-month window (or a 12-month trial right), Medigap carriers can medically underwrite — and decline you. Guaranteed-issue rights exist but are narrow.
Does Advantage include dental and vision?
Most MA plans bundle some dental, vision, hearing, and drug coverage — Medigap does not (you'd add standalone Part D). That convenience is MA's biggest genuine advantage.
How this calculator is built
Independently maintained
Written by Sam Doshi and the RevenueLab editorial team. We don't sell the data feeds this tool is built on.
Sourced from primary data
Benchmarks come from public AdSense / Stripe / IRS disclosures and reader-submitted data — never third-party "$X per view" claims. Full methodology.
Last editorial review
Reviewed on a rolling quarterly cycle. Dated reviews are published on the methodology record for each calculator.
Editorial standards
See our editorial policy and disclaimer. Results are estimates, not advice.