Now is the time to enroll in a Medical Advantage (MAP) plan with no monthly premium to enhance your medical benefits.

While some MAPs have a monthly premium, there are plenty to choose from so you don’t need to pay a monthly premium.

The Medicare Advantage Plan, Part C, was created in 2003 and has been growing ever since. Now, nearly 27 million Medicare beneficiaries get their Part A and Part B benefits through MAP, which are offered by private insurers and typically include Part D prescription drug coverage.

In addition to giving you Part A and Part B benefits, many MAPD plans offer benefits not available through Original Medicare, which may include dental, hearing, fitness, telemedicine, money for healthy food, help personal domestic service, over-the-counter medications, transportation to medical visits and other extras. Plans may also tailor their benefit packages for certain chronic conditions, such as diabetes or kidney disease.

MAPD plans must cover all services that Original Medicare covers, except hospice care. Original Medicare covers hospice care even when you’re in a Medicare Advantage plan. In all types of Medicare Advantage plans, you’re always covered for emergency and urgent care. Medicare Advantage plans must offer emergency coverage in the plan’s service areas (but not outside the US)

In most Medicare Advantage HMO (Health Maintenance Organization) Plans, you can only use doctors, other health care providers, or hospitals in the plan’s network, except in an urgent or emergency situation. In an HMO-POS (point-of-service) plan, you may be able to get some services out-of-network for a higher copay or coinsurance.

You just need to make sure your favorite providers and hospitals are in the network and your medications are on the plan’s formulary.

The Medicare Annual Enrollment Period (AEP) allows you to drop a plan, join a plan, or switch plans. However, if you have just turned 65, the AEP is not important. Your Initial Enrollment Period (IEP) begins 3 months before the month you turn 65 and ends 3 months after the month you turn 65. Finally, if you enrolled in a MAPD plan between October 15 and December 7 , you can switch to another benefit Plan it or leave it in favor of Original Medicare and get a stand-alone Part D prescription drug plan between January 1 and March 31.

Remember, if you join a MAPD Plan, you must continue to pay your Part B premiums. Also, you can’t have a Medicare Supplement Plan and a Medicare Advantage Plan at the same time. And, when you enroll in a MAPD Plan, your coverage will start on January 1, 2022.