Medicare Plans
Medicare Advantage vs. Medicare Supplement: The Denver Breakdown
Nearly every Denver senior we talk to is weighing the same two paths: a Medicare Advantage plan that bundles everything into one low-premium private plan, or a Medicare Supplement (Medigap) policy that rides behind Original Medicare and pays what Medicare doesn't.
Neither one wins on paper alone. It comes down to your doctors, your prescriptions, how often you travel, and how much monthly cost you'd trade for predictability.
- Two different ways to fill the gaps Original Medicare leaves
- Network access at Presbyterian/St. Luke's and Rose Medical Center is the real local factor
- Premiums only tell half the cost story
- Free side-by-side comparison for anyone in the Denver metro
Side by side
Where the two paths actually split
| Compare | Medicare SupplementMedigap, works alongside Original Medicare | Medicare AdvantagePart C, one private plan covers it all | Part D Drug PlanPrescriptions only, an add-on plan |
|---|---|---|---|
| What it covers | Covers your share of Part A and B costs: deductibles, copays and coinsurance. | Bundles hospital, medical and usually drug coverage under one card. | Just prescriptions. No medical coverage attached. |
| Doctor networks | No network. See any provider nationwide who takes Medicare. | HMO or PPO network. Confirm access to UCHealth or Rose Medical Center first. | Pharmacy network only, preferred pharmacies save you money. |
| Monthly premium | The priciest of the three, on top of your Part B premium. | Frequently $0, plus your Part B premium. | A modest premium, added on top of Part B. |
| Costs when you use care | Barely anything once you clear the Part B deductible on Plan G. | Copays per visit, capped by a yearly out-of-pocket maximum. | A deductible plus tiered copays tied to the plan's drug list. |
| Prescription drugs | Not included, you'll need to add a separate Part D plan. | Built into most Denver-area plans. | This plan is the drug coverage. |
| Extras (dental, vision, hearing) | Not included, buy a standalone policy if you want these. | Often included, though allowances vary widely by plan. | Not part of this plan. |
| Health questions to enroll | None during your 6-month open enrollment window; underwriting kicks in later. | None, you're guaranteed acceptance during a valid enrollment window. | None at all. |
| Best if you | Travel often, see specialists a lot, and want predictable bills. | Are settled with Denver providers and want low premiums with extras thrown in. | Picked Medigap or Original Medicare and still need drug coverage. |
| Read more | Medicare Supplement details | Medicare Advantage details | Part D Drug Plan details |
Medicare Supplement
Medigap, works alongside Original Medicare
- What it covers
- Covers your share of Part A and B costs: deductibles, copays and coinsurance.
- Doctor networks
- No network. See any provider nationwide who takes Medicare.
- Monthly premium
- The priciest of the three, on top of your Part B premium.
- Costs when you use care
- Barely anything once you clear the Part B deductible on Plan G.
- Prescription drugs
- Not included, you'll need to add a separate Part D plan.
- Extras (dental, vision, hearing)
- Not included, buy a standalone policy if you want these.
- Health questions to enroll
- None during your 6-month open enrollment window; underwriting kicks in later.
- Best if you
- Travel often, see specialists a lot, and want predictable bills.
Medicare Advantage
Part C, one private plan covers it all
- What it covers
- Bundles hospital, medical and usually drug coverage under one card.
- Doctor networks
- HMO or PPO network. Confirm access to UCHealth or Rose Medical Center first.
- Monthly premium
- Frequently $0, plus your Part B premium.
- Costs when you use care
- Copays per visit, capped by a yearly out-of-pocket maximum.
- Prescription drugs
- Built into most Denver-area plans.
- Extras (dental, vision, hearing)
- Often included, though allowances vary widely by plan.
- Health questions to enroll
- None, you're guaranteed acceptance during a valid enrollment window.
- Best if you
- Are settled with Denver providers and want low premiums with extras thrown in.
Part D Drug Plan
Prescriptions only, an add-on plan
- What it covers
- Just prescriptions. No medical coverage attached.
- Doctor networks
- Pharmacy network only, preferred pharmacies save you money.
- Monthly premium
- A modest premium, added on top of Part B.
- Costs when you use care
- A deductible plus tiered copays tied to the plan's drug list.
- Prescription drugs
- This plan is the drug coverage.
- Extras (dental, vision, hearing)
- Not part of this plan.
- Health questions to enroll
- None at all.
- Best if you
- Picked Medigap or Original Medicare and still need drug coverage.
Local networks
What this looks like at Denver hospitals
Medigap: no network at all
If a provider takes Original Medicare, your Medigap plan follows along. That covers UCHealth, Rose Medical Center, and specialists in Boulder, Colorado Springs or Houston with no referrals needed.Advantage: the network is the whole plan
Denver Advantage plans differ on which system they contract with. Some lean heavily on Presbyterian/St. Luke's, others toward Rose Medical Center. Networks reset every January.Drug coverage works differently
Advantage plans usually build in Part D. With Medigap you buy a standalone Part D plan and can shop it separately each fall, often the cheaper route for pricey drugs.
Choose Advantage if
When Medicare Advantage tends to be the right call
- You want the lowest monthly premium possible, often $0 beyond Part B
- Your doctors and preferred hospital are already in the plan's Denver network
- Extras like dental, vision, hearing and a gym membership matter to you
- You're fine with copays as you use care plus an annual out-of-pocket cap
- You rarely leave the Front Range for routine care
Choose Medigap if
When Medicare Supplement tends to fit better
- You want predictable spending, a flat premium instead of copays every visit
- You see multiple specialists, or split time between Denver and another state
- You want to keep any doctor who takes Medicare, with no referrals
- You're managing an ongoing condition where per-visit copays would add up fast
- You're inside your 6-month Medigap open enrollment window and can skip health questions
The timing detail people get burned by
You can join or switch an Advantage plan each fall during Open Enrollment. Moving back to a Medigap plan later can require health underwriting in Colorado. That imbalance should shape your first decision.
Total cost
Look at the full year, not just the premium
A $0-premium Advantage plan isn't actually free. Total up realistic copays for your primary care visits, specialists, imaging and any planned procedure, then stack that against a year of Medigap premiums plus a standalone drug plan. For a healthy 66-year-old, Advantage often wins on math. For someone managing a chronic condition with frequent specialist visits, Medigap frequently comes out cheaper over twelve months.
We run these 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
Medicare Supplement (Medigap)
Plan G, Plan N, and what Colorado underwriting actually means.
Read: Medicare Supplement (Medigap) →Medicare Advantage
HMO vs. PPO and the Denver network details.
Read: Medicare Advantage →Part D Drug Plans
Where the real yearly savings usually hide.
Read: Part D Drug Plans →Not sure which side you land on?
Bring your doctors and prescriptions, we'll price both paths for a full year and show you exactly where they differ.