Medicare Plans
Medicare Advantage vs. Medicare Supplement in Chicago, IL
Nearly every Chicago senior we talk with is weighing the same two options: a Medicare Advantage plan that bundles everything into one lower-premium private plan, or a Medicare Supplement (Medigap) policy that sits behind Original Medicare and pays what Medicare doesn't.
Neither one wins automatically. The right answer depends on your doctors, your prescriptions, how often you travel, and how much monthly cost you're willing to trade for predictability.
- Two different ways to cover what Original Medicare leaves open
- Network access at Rush and Northwestern is usually the deciding factor
- Premium is only half the real cost
- Free side-by-side comparison for Cook County residents
Side by side
How the two paths actually differ
| Compare | Medicare SupplementMedigap · pairs with Original Medicare | Medicare AdvantagePart C · all-in-one private plan | Part D Drug PlanPrescriptions only · add-on |
|---|---|---|---|
| What it covers | The Part A and Part B costs Medicare leaves you: deductibles, copays, coinsurance. | Hospital, doctor and usually drug coverage bundled behind one card. | Prescriptions only. No medical coverage at all. |
| Doctor networks | No network. Any doctor nationwide who takes Medicare, including UChicago Medicine. | HMO or PPO network. Check Northwestern Memorial, Rush and Advocate before you sign. | Pharmacy network only. Preferred Walgreens and Jewel-Osco counters cost less. |
| Monthly premium | The highest of the three, on top of your Part B premium. | Frequently $0 in Cook County, on top of your Part B premium. | Small monthly premium, on top of your Part B premium. |
| Costs when you use care | Close to nothing on Plan G once the Part B deductible is paid. | A copay each visit and each service, stopped by a yearly out-of-pocket cap. | A deductible, then tiered copays set by that plan's drug list. |
| Prescription drugs | Never included. Pair it with a standalone Part D plan. | Built into most Chicago plans already. | This is the drug coverage itself. |
| Extras (dental, vision, hearing) | Not covered. Buy separate dental or vision if you want it. | Usually thrown in, though the yearly allowances swing widely. | Not covered. |
| Health questions to enroll | None in your 6-month open enrollment window. Illinois allows underwriting after it. | None. Acceptance is guaranteed inside a valid enrollment period. | None ever. |
| Best if you | Winter in a warmer state, see specialists often, and want steady bills. | Already stick with Chicago doctors and want a low premium plus extras. | Went with Medigap or plain Original Medicare and still need drug coverage. |
| Read more | Medicare Supplement details | Medicare Advantage details | Part D Drug Plan details |
Medicare Supplement
Medigap · pairs with Original Medicare
- What it covers
- The Part A and Part B costs Medicare leaves you: deductibles, copays, coinsurance.
- Doctor networks
- No network. Any doctor nationwide who takes Medicare, including UChicago Medicine.
- Monthly premium
- The highest of the three, on top of your Part B premium.
- Costs when you use care
- Close to nothing on Plan G once the Part B deductible is paid.
- Prescription drugs
- Never included. Pair it with a standalone Part D plan.
- Extras (dental, vision, hearing)
- Not covered. Buy separate dental or vision if you want it.
- Health questions to enroll
- None in your 6-month open enrollment window. Illinois allows underwriting after it.
- Best if you
- Winter in a warmer state, see specialists often, and want steady bills.
Medicare Advantage
Part C · all-in-one private plan
- What it covers
- Hospital, doctor and usually drug coverage bundled behind one card.
- Doctor networks
- HMO or PPO network. Check Northwestern Memorial, Rush and Advocate before you sign.
- Monthly premium
- Frequently $0 in Cook County, on top of your Part B premium.
- Costs when you use care
- A copay each visit and each service, stopped by a yearly out-of-pocket cap.
- Prescription drugs
- Built into most Chicago plans already.
- Extras (dental, vision, hearing)
- Usually thrown in, though the yearly allowances swing widely.
- Health questions to enroll
- None. Acceptance is guaranteed inside a valid enrollment period.
- Best if you
- Already stick with Chicago doctors and want a low premium plus extras.
Part D Drug Plan
Prescriptions only · add-on
- What it covers
- Prescriptions only. No medical coverage at all.
- Doctor networks
- Pharmacy network only. Preferred Walgreens and Jewel-Osco counters cost less.
- Monthly premium
- Small monthly premium, on top of your Part B premium.
- Costs when you use care
- A deductible, then tiered copays set by that plan's drug list.
- Prescription drugs
- This is the drug coverage itself.
- Extras (dental, vision, hearing)
- Not covered.
- Health questions to enroll
- None ever.
- Best if you
- Went with Medigap or plain Original Medicare and still need drug coverage.
Local networks
What this means at Chicago hospitals
Medigap: no network to worry about
If a provider takes Original Medicare, your Medigap plan follows along. That covers Northwestern Memorial, Rush University Medical Center, UChicago Medicine, and specialists nationwide without referrals.Advantage: the network is the plan
Chicago Advantage plans vary widely on which hospital systems are in-network. Some contract broadly with Advocate Illinois Masonic, others lean toward Loyola Medicine or Endeavor Health. Networks get re-confirmed every January.Drug coverage works differently
Advantage plans typically build Part D right in. With Medigap you buy a standalone Part D plan and can shop it separately each fall, often the cheaper route if you take expensive medications.
Choose Advantage if
When a Medicare Advantage plan fits
- You want the lowest possible monthly premium, often $0 beyond Part B
- Your doctors and preferred hospital already sit inside the plan's Chicago network
- Extras like dental, vision, hearing, and a gym benefit matter to you
- You're fine with copays as you use care plus an annual out-of-pocket cap
- You rarely need care outside the Chicago area
Choose Medigap if
When a Medicare Supplement fits
- You want predictable costs: one monthly premium instead of copays at every visit
- You see multiple specialists, or split time between Chicago and another state
- You want to keep any doctor who accepts Medicare, no referrals needed
- You're managing an ongoing condition where per-visit copays would pile up fast
- You're inside your 6-month Medigap open enrollment window and can enroll without health questions
The timing detail that catches people off guard
You can join or change an Advantage plan each fall during Open Enrollment. Moving back to a Medigap plan later can require health underwriting in Illinois. Weigh that before you make your first choice.
Total cost
Compare the whole year, not just the premium
A $0-premium Advantage plan still costs something. Add up realistic copays for your primary care visits, specialists, imaging, and any planned procedure, then stack that total against a year of Medigap premiums plus a standalone drug plan. For a healthy 66-year-old, Advantage math often comes out ahead. For someone managing a chronic condition with frequent specialist visits, Medigap often costs less across twelve months.
We run those numbers using your actual drug list and doctors. Start with the Medicare checklist, or read the mistakes to avoid before you sign anything.
Go deeper on each path
Nothing to sign
Not sure which side you fall on?
Bring your doctors and prescriptions. We'll price both paths for a full year and show you the difference.