You may be asking yourself “What Medicare advantage plans are in Nevada?” This questions may come up if you have experienced one of the following:
- You are turning 65 and are new to Medicare
- You recently moved to the area
- It’s the Annual Election Period (October 15th-December 7th)
There are many more situations in which you could be asking yourself this question, but whatever your election period is, you may be wondering what plans are available.
What is Medicare Advantage?
Medicare Advantage, also known as Part C of Medicare, is a type of private insurance policy that assists beneficiaries with the costs that Original Medicare does not. Medicare Advantage plans will typically have low premiums. Advantage plans will take over for Parts A & B. Although you will still be required to pay the part B premium in order to keep a Medicare Advantage policy.
Most advantage plans will come combined with a Part D drug plan. They will also provide beneficiaries with extra benefits. Some include transportation, dental, vision, and over the counter allowances depending on what company you go with.
What determines plan availability?
You may have noticed while looking at plans in the area, that different counties have different plan options. Washoe county will have a different selection of plans than that of Carson City or Lyon County. Your location is going to have the biggest impact on your plan options. Not only will there be different companies available in each county, but the plans themselves will have a different look.
What Companies are Available and Where?
There are many companies that operate in Nevada. For this article, we will focus on Northern Nevada and what it has to offer. There are currently 10 companies that operate in Washoe county and the surrounding areas. These plans range from HMO to PPO plans and have a wide variety of benefits.
Prominence
Prominence Health Plan is one of two local insurance companies in Northern Nevada. This plan is based out of Reno and is located near Meadowood Mall. Prominence is owned by Universal Health Services. The same company that owns Northern Nevada Medical Group. If a beneficiary signs up for Prominence, they will be gaining access to Northern Nevada Medical Center and the brand new Sierra Medical Center.
Not only is Sierra Medical Center brand new, it is the first full service hospital built in over 100 year in the Reno/Sparks area. Along with Northern Nevada Medical Group, beneficiaries will have access to private doctors around the area as well as Carson Tahoe Regional Medical Center.
Senior Care Plus
Senior Care Plus is the second local insurance company in the Truckee Meadows. Renown owns Senior Care Plus which means you get direct access to the hospital. Not only does Renown have two large campuses in town, but Renown in downtown Reno is the areas trauma center. The only Medicare Advantage plans that give you access to the Renown Hospital system are through Senior Care Plus. To learn more, please visit our Senior Care Plus page.
Atrio Health Plans
Starting in 2022, Atrio has partnered with St Mary’s Health Plans to bring you a new plan. They are currently one of three companies to offer a PPO plan in Northern Nevada. This means beneficiaries will receive out of network benefits. ATRIO started in Oregon. Like the previous two companies we talked about, they partner directly with a hospital. St Mary’s Hospital in downtown Reno has been in Reno for 112 years!
Along with the St Mary’s Hospital, beneficiaries will have access to St Mary’s Medical Group. This group has facilities located around the area. St Mary’s urgent cares can also be found throughout the valley.
How do I Sign Up for One of These Plans?
Before we sign up for any Medicare Advantage plans in Nevada, we need to make sure we are qualified. In order to qualify, you must be enrolled in Medicare part A and B. Medicare Part A and B will be available to a few groups of individuals. Individuals 65 or older, an individual who has been on Social Security Disability for 24 months, or has End Stage Renal Disease. These are the main three situations.
We want you to get your ID card on time so we suggest applying three months before your birthday. Once you receive your card. You may sign up!
Finding a Broker
This is where we come in. Brokers are individuals who contract with multiple companies. We can look at all of your options and give our unbiased opinion. We have a team ready to help you at one of our five locations!
- Reno
- Sparks
- Carson City
- Fernley
- Truckee
Give us a call today and our team will be happy to help!
