What is MAPD?
Contents
- What is MAPD?
- What does MAPD Stand for?
- Costs of MAPD
- PDP vs MAPD
- Further Medicare Reading
- How to Dispose of Old Medications
- Does Medicare Pay for Dentures
- Is Acupuncture Covered by Medicare
- What Does Medicare Cover?
- Does Medicare Cover Chiropractic Care?
- Does Medicare Cover Cataract Surgery
- Medicare Part B Premium 2021 Changes
- Does Medicare Cover Ambulance Services?
- Best Hearing Aid Alternatives
- HMO vs PPO Which is Better?
- How Long Does Medicare Pay for Rehab?
- Does Medicare Pay for Stem Cell Therapy?
- What is MAPD?
- Attained Age vs Issue Age
- What is Medicare Plan G?
- What are Part B Excess Charges?
- How to Apply for Medicare
- How Much Does an MRI Cost?
- What is Medicare Plan F?
- Medicare Easy Pay
- Medicare and Medicaid Difference Guide
- Is Medicare Plan F Going Away?
- Renew Active vs Silver Sneakers
- What is Silver Sneakers?
- What Medicare Part A Covers
- What is the Medicare Donut Hole?
- 2020 Part B Deductible / 2021 Part B Deductible
- Qualities of a Good Insurance Agent
- Medicare Open Enrollment
- Railroad Medicare
- Does Medicare Cover Hearing Aids?
- Medicare and You 2020 & 2021
- Medicare Part A B C D
- Medicare For All Explained
- 5 Biggest Medicare Mistakes
- How Much Does Medicare Cost?
- Using an Independent Medicare Insurance Agent
- Medicare Penalties For Late Enrollment
- What is AEP? Medicare’s Annual Enrollment Period
- Medicare Questions “FAQ’s”
- Part D Prescription Drug Plans
- Medicare Advantage vs Medicare Supplement
- What is Medicare Advantage
- What are Medicare Supplements?
- What is Medicare?

There are a lot of acronyms in Medicare, and even more in insurance. We know, it can get very confusing when you are not hip to the “Medicare/ insurance world” lingo. As a result, one of the most repeated acronym questions we hear is: What is MAPD?
Medicare MAPD plans are private insurance plans offered by Insurance Carriers to replace Original Medicare. Also called Medicare Part C, they offer a single payer option to beneficiaries. In addition, they offer extra benefits to members above and beyond what is covered in Medicare Part A and Part B. Finally, they also include a Part D drug plan.
What does MAPD Stand for?
MAPD Stands for: Medicare Advantage Prescription Drug.
If the plan does not offer drug coverage, then it is just called a MA (Medicare Advantage) Plan. As mentioned, these plans are also called Medicare Part C, and insurance companies offer Medicare MAPD plans with extra benefits to take the place of Original Medicare.
What Do Medicare Advantage Plans Cover?
Medicare Advantage Plans are regulated by the CMS (Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services). This agency makes sure that every plan offers at least the same standards of care and coverage that Original Medicare offers. Most plans offer additional benefits, not covered by Original Medicare, such as vision, dental, hearing and even gym memberships such through organizations like SilverSneakers or Renew Active.
Medicare Advantage Plans are often set up as managed care plans with networks of doctors and hospitals members have access to. To learn more about how these networks work, please read, HMO vs PPO – Which is Better?
Costs of MAPD
Medicare Advantage Plans often come with lower premium costs than Supplement Plans. Some of them even offer “zero premium” options. They are not technically “free” because everyone still has to pay their Medicare Part B Premiums directly to the government each month.
However, they are low cost options because the government is paying the insurance company to take beneficiaries onto their books and off the government books. Essentially, the Medicare Advantage Insurance companies are replacing beneficiaries Original Medicare with their Part C plan and becoming a single-payer.
PDP vs MAPD
PDP is an acronym to Prescription Drug Plan. We also refer to it as Medicare Part D. You can read more about PDP Drug Plans here.
Similarities between PDP and MAPD Plans
- Just like Medicare Advantage (Part C), PDP plans are not administered by the U.S. government, but instead by private insurance companies. Just like MAPD Insurance plans, you can shop to find the best PDP plan for your needs each year.
- And also, just like Medicare Advantage Insurance plans, you do not have to go through medical underwriting to be accepted into a Part D plan.
- You can enter into a PDP (or MAPD) plan each year during AEP – the Annual Enrollment Period which runs from October 15th – December 7th.
Differences Between Medicare Advantage and Part D Plans
- First, if you have Original Medicare, you will need a PDP plan in addition to Parts A & B to cover your prescription drugs needs. They are not included.
- Additionally, beneficiaries on Original Medicare + a PDP Part D Drug Plan often also have a Medigap Plan (Supplement) to cover the 20% of costs, co-pays and co-insurances that Medicare does not cover.
- MAPD Healthcare Insurance Plans, on the other hand, include all three of these options in one (Parts A + B + D).
- As a result, you will not need a standalone PDP plan or a Medigap Plan in addition. All you need is your MAPD Plan (aka Medicare C).
Further Medicare Reading


How to Dispose of Old Medications
Read More

Does Medicare Pay for Dentures
Read More

Is Acupuncture Covered by Medicare
Read More

What Does Medicare Cover?
Read More

Does Medicare Cover Chiropractic Care?
Read More

Does Medicare Cover Cataract Surgery
Read More

Medicare Part B Premium 2021 Changes
Read More

Does Medicare Cover Ambulance Services?
Read More

Best Hearing Aid Alternatives
Read More

HMO vs PPO Which is Better?
Read More

How Long Does Medicare Pay for Rehab?
Read More

Does Medicare Pay for Stem Cell Therapy?
Read More

What is MAPD?
Read More

Attained Age vs Issue Age
Read More

What is Medicare Plan G?
Read More

What are Part B Excess Charges?
Read More

How to Apply for Medicare
Read More

How Much Does an MRI Cost?
Read More

What is Medicare Plan F?
Read More

Medicare Easy Pay
Read More

Medicare and Medicaid Difference Guide
Read More

Is Medicare Plan F Going Away?
Read More

Renew Active vs Silver Sneakers
Read More

What is Silver Sneakers?
Read More

What Medicare Part A Covers
Read More

What is the Medicare Donut Hole?
Read More

2020 Part B Deductible / 2021 Part B Deductible
Read More

Qualities of a Good Insurance Agent
Read More

Medicare Open Enrollment
Read More

Railroad Medicare
Read More

Does Medicare Cover Hearing Aids?
Read More

Medicare and You 2020 & 2021
Read More

Medicare Part A B C D
Read More

Medicare For All Explained
Read More

5 Biggest Medicare Mistakes
Read More

How Much Does Medicare Cost?
Read More

Using an Independent Medicare Insurance Agent
Read More

Medicare Penalties For Late Enrollment
Read More

What is AEP? Medicare’s Annual Enrollment Period
Read More
Medicare Questions “FAQ’s”
Read More

Part D Prescription Drug Plans
Read More

Medicare Advantage vs Medicare Supplement
Read More

What is Medicare Advantage
Read More

What are Medicare Supplements?
Read More

What is Medicare?
Read More
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