When enrolled in a MA plan, members must continue paying premiums for which other Medicare plan?

When a member is enrolled in a Medicare Advantage (MA) plan, they are still required to pay premiums for Medicare Part B. The rationale behind this is that Medicare Advantage plans, while providing an alternative to Original Medicare (Parts A and B), do not eliminate the need for Part B coverage. Part B is essential for covering outpatient services, such as doctor visits and preventive care, which are not typically covered under Medicare Part A alone.

Medicare Advantage plans provide a bundled benefit that includes coverage from both Medicare Part A (hospital insurance) and Part B (medical insurance). However, the basic structure of Medicare, which requires members to pay premiums for Part B, remains in place.

In contrast, Part A generally does not require premiums for most people who have worked and paid Medicare taxes for a sufficient number of quarters, and the other options presented—Part C (which is synonymous with Medicare Advantage itself) and Part D (prescription drug coverage)—have different implications regarding enrollment and premiums that do not apply when strictly discussing the necessity of premiums while enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan. Therefore, it is essential to maintain Part B to ensure complete coverage for healthcare needs while enrolled in an MA plan.