What will happen if a consumer with Original Medicare enrolls in an MA Plan that includes integrated prescription drug coverage?

When a consumer with Original Medicare enrolls in a Medicare Advantage (MA) Plan that includes integrated prescription drug coverage, they will be automatically disenrolled from their standalone Prescription Drug Plan (PDP). This is because the Medicare Advantage Plan, which is often referred to as Part C, provides both medical and prescription drug coverage. The inclusion of drug coverage within the MA Plan means that the beneficiary no longer requires the standalone PDP since the MA Plan serves that need.

Maintaining both plans would lead to unnecessary duplication in coverage, while paying for both plans would not be permitted as the MA Plan replaces the need for Original Medicare and its associated standalone drug plan. Switching to a supplemental insurance plan is not relevant in this context, as supplemental plans are designed to work alongside Original Medicare, and enrolling in an MA Plan effectively changes the structure of the individual’s Medicare coverage. Therefore, the correct choice highlights an automatic disenrollment process inherent in the structure of Medicare benefits when opting for an integrated plan.