Kansas Medicare Advantage: The 8 Best & Worst
Residents of the Sunflower State have many excellent options when it comes to Medicare Advantage health insurance. With MA plans, you get the benefits of Medicare Part A, Part B, and Part D prescription drug coverage packaged together in one insurance plan.
Each plan is different; some giving extra coverage for those who rely on medications, while others focus on nursing home residents or those with specific medical conditions.
Ready to get a Medicare Advantage health plan? Use Insurify’s comparison tool to get plan options for your ZIP code in just minutes.
Before we get into the top plans, we want to remind you that the most important factor is you. Your needs, your preferences, and your budget ultimately determine which plan is best for you. Be sure to get clear on what you need most from your Medicare plan before you start shopping.
1. Erickson Advantage Freedom
2. Erickson Advantage Liberty
3. Erickson Advantage Signature
4. AARP Medicare Advantage Plan 1
5. AARP Medicare Advantage Plan 2
6. Aetna Medicare Premier
7. Aetna Medicare Premier Preferred
8. AARP Medicare Advantage Choice Plan 1
Of the top eight Medicare Advantage plans in Kansas, three have a five-star rating, and the other five have four to four and a half stars. Here’s a look at the top plans and what they include.
With a $70 monthly premium, this five-star plan offers prescription drug coverage with low co-pays for medications. It has one of the lowest rates for short-term inpatient hospital stays. The first seven days cost $225 per day, and then days eight until 90 are free. From day 91 and beyond, you pay 30 percent coinsurance per stay.
This plan offers essential hearing, dental, and vision coverage, with a supplemental policy available for comprehensive dental.
Monthly premium: $70
Deductible: $200
Out-of-pocket max: $4,000
Counties where this plan is available: Johnson
Another five-star plan from Erickson Advantage, this one is premium-free, with a $400 deductible. Visits to your primary care physician are $0–$30, and specialists are $50. Out of network, you pay 30 percent coinsurance.
Preventive care, diagnostics, and lab services cost $0. This HMO plan covers essential hearing, dental, and vision services.
Monthly premium: $0
Deductible: $400
Out-of-pocket max: $6,700
Counties where this plan is available: Johnson
This plan has the highest monthly premium —$199—of the top eight plans. However, there is no deductible, and the out-of-pocket max is just $2,600, considerably the lowest of the top eight Medicare Advantage plans in Kansas.
The four-tier prescription drug plan has low premiums, especially for generic medications. In-network doctor visits cost $0, and specialists are $20. Out of network, you pay 30 percent coinsurance for either.
Another advantage of this plan is the low cost of Medicare Part B drugs, just 10 percent coinsurance.
Monthly premium: $199
Deductible: $0
Out-of-pocket max: $2,600
Counties where this plan is available: Johnson
This plan from AARP is a solid one and worth consideration. It’s rated four and a half stars and has a low monthly premium of $36 and no deductible. Drugs in Tier 1 are $12 or less.
This plan includes a generous inpatient hospital benefit. Days one through seven cost $275 per day, and days eight and beyond cost $0 for in-network hospitals. There is no cost for hearing tests, basic dental procedures, eye exams, or corrective lenses.
Monthly premium: $36
Deductible: $0
Out-of-pocket max: $4,400
Counties where this plan is available: Wilson, Douglas, Atchison, Miami, Cherokee, Jackson, Johnson, Osage, Allen, Linn, Pottawatomie, Jefferson, Wyandotte, Woodson, Anderson, Franklin, Leavenworth, Bourbon, Labette, Montgomery, Neosho, Coffey, Crawford
With no monthly premiums and no deductible, this plan is one worth considering. Like the previous AARP plan, the tiered prescription drug plan makes medications affordable, and the in-network hospital stays are well-priced. The first five days cost $300 per day, with all subsequent days costing $0.
Hearing, preventive dental, and vision are covered, with many services being free. This plan also covers podiatry and mental health services.
Monthly premium: $0
Deductible: $0
Out-of-pocket max: $5,900
Counties where this plan is available: Johnson, Leavenworth, Linn, Allen, Wyandotte, Wilson, Atchison, Bourbon, Cherokee, Jackson, Montgomery, Neosho, Pottawatomie, Osage, Franklin, Coffey, Douglas, Labette, Anderson, Woodson, Miami, Crawford, Jefferson
The Aetna Medicare Premier plan is premium-free with no deductible. Medications that fall under the Preferred Retail Cost-Sharing formulary are $0, with all others being affordable.
Visits to your primary care physician cost $0, and specialists cost $40. Vision and hearing services are covered, as are both preventive and comprehensive dental.
Monthly premium: $0
Deductible: $0
Out-of-pocket max: $5,000
Counties where this plan is available: Johnson, Wyandotte, Miami, Douglas, Jefferson
The second plan from Aetna also includes a prescription drug plan with low co-pays for generic drugs. While some generics are free, the non-preferred brands are quite expensive with this plan. The vision and dental coverage are good, with comprehensive dental included.
Monthly premium: $0
Deductible: $0
Out-of-pocket max: $5,000
Counties where this plan is available: Miami, Johnson, Jefferson, Douglas, Wyandotte
This PPO plan earns a solid four-star rating as a local PPO, serving Johnson county. It offers Medicare beneficiaries a low-cost prescription drug plan. Hearing and vision services cost $0, and dental is covered, too.
Diabetes supplies bought in-network are free, with out-of-network ones costing 40 percent coinsurance per item. This plan covers Medicare Part B drugs with 20 percent coinsurance.
Monthly premium: $0
Deductible: $0
Out-of-pocket max: $6,400
Counties where this plan is available: Johnson
Did you know that you can use the Insurify Medicare comparison tool to find the right Medicare prescription plan for you? Enter your ZIP code to see plans in your area. Try it now!
Various factors determine your total Medicare Advantage costs. You may have fees associated with:
Medicare Part B: This is a monthly premium that comes out of your Social Security payments.
Medicare Advantage premiums: Some are premium-free, while others vary in price.
Deductible: This is the dollar amount you are responsible for paying before your insurance starts covering your medical expenses.
Out-of-pocket max: Your plan may cap your out-of-pocket expenses, but you are responsible for all co-pays until you reach this amount.
Medicare Part A: You will have to pay for Part A if you do not qualify based on your or your spouse’s working years.
Insurance companies in Kansas offer a variety of types of Medicare Advantage plan types. Here’s a glimpse of the four main kinds available in Kansas.
Health Maintenance Organization (HMO) plans:
Require a primary care physician
Require a referral to see a specialist
Use a network of doctors and facilities
Charge you for out-of-network costs, except for emergency services
Preferred Provider Organization (PPO) plans:
Don’t require you to choose a primary care physician
Don’t require referrals to see specialists
Allow you to use out-of-network care providers
Offer more flexibility
Private Fee-for-Service (PFFS) plans usually:
Don’t require you to have a primary care physician
Allow you to see any healthcare providers who will accept the plan
Aren’t widely available
Special Needs Plans (SNPs):
Are tailored coverage for a specific group of people with a chronic condition like end-stage renal disease or diabetes
Are available for people who are dual-eligible for Medicare and Medicaid
Medical Savings Account (MSA) plans:
Have an earmarked savings account for medical expenses
Work with a high-deductible insurance plan
Allow unused money to roll over to the next year
The answer to this depends on when you’re reading this. You can join an MA plan during the Open Enrollment Period, from October 15 to December 7.
You can also join if you are within your initial eligibility for Medicare, a seven-month window before and after your 65th birthday. If neither of these is true for you, you will need to wait until October 15 to change from Original Medicare to an MA plan.
No, you cannot. Medigap is a Medicare supplement that you use with Original Medicare. Medicare Advantage is Medicare Part C, an alternative to Original Medicare, so it’s impossible to have both.
Medicare Advantage plans often include Medicare Part D prescription drug coverage, so you have the convenience of not needing to piece together coverage with Original Medicare options. Medicare Advantage plans may offer more benefits, including wellness programs, dental, vision, and hearing coverage.
Your local Social Security office is a great resource to find a complete description of benefits for the federal Medicare program, Extra Help, and Medicaid services. You can also visit Medicare.gov or call 1(800) MEDICARE or 1 (800) 633-4227. TTY users should contact 1 (877) 486-2048.
The Senior Health Insurance Counseling for Kansas (SHICK) program provides resources to keep you up-to-date on all things related to Medicare benefits, including Medicare Supplement Insurance and Medicare Advantage prescription drug plans (MA-PDs).
Shopping for insurance plans isn’t like researching your next vacation. There’s little risk if you skimp on the research for RV parks during your next trip. But you do not want to risk financial setbacks because of inadequate healthcare coverage.
Finding a plan that fits your needs in terms of current and potential health issues, access to doctors, and care facilities are just as important as the cost of premiums.
Use the comparison tool from Insurify to find a plan that meets your healthcare needs and saves you money. Start searching now!
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