A Medicare managed care plan, sometimes called an HMO, is a health plan offered by private insurance companies. Many people with Medicare choose a managed care plan. You can often get extra benefits, like prescription drugs. In most managed care plans, you can only go to certain doctors and hospitals that agree to treat members of the plan. Call the plan you are interested in to see which doctors are in the plan.
Doctors can join or leave managed care plans at any time.
If your doctor leaves your plan, ask your plan for the names of plan doctors in your area. If you want to keep getting care from your doctor, ask if he or she belongs to another Medicare managed care plan. You may want to join that plan. This allows you to go to other doctors and hospitals who are not a part of the plan. Most of the time this option costs you more, and gives you more choices.