Medicare Advantage replaces your Original Medicare card with one plan card. It often has a $0 or low premium, includes drug coverage and extras like dental, and uses copays up to a yearly limit (as high as $9,850 in network for 2027). Most plans use a network of doctors.

Medicare Supplement works with Original Medicare. You pay a monthly premium, plus a separate drug plan, and in return you can see any doctor in the country who accepts Medicare, with few or no bills.

The decision that matters most: your best time to get a Supplement without health questions is the 6 months starting when you're 65 and enrolled in Part B. Switching from Advantage to a Supplement later can mean health questions and a possible denial. That's why it's worth getting this right the first time.