The decision · Compare side by side
Medicare Advantage or Medicare Supplement?
It is the question every 65-year-old has to answer, and the answer matters more than most people realize. The two plans are not just priced differently — they are built around different assumptions about how you want to handle health care for the rest of your life.
Below is a side-by-side comparison, written without spin. We will tell you what the trade-offs actually are, where each plan wins, and the one Florida-specific catch that locks people into the wrong choice.
| Original Medicare | Medicare Advantage | Medicare Supplement (Plan G) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly premium (Florida, 2025) | $185 (Part B only) | $0–$30 typical | $185 (Part B) + $200–$360 (Plan G) |
| ↳ Florida Plan G premiums vary by county and age. Miami-Dade trends higher than Broward and Palm Beach. | |||
| Annual deductible | $257 (Part B) | $0–$500 typical | $257 (Part B); Plan G covers nearly everything else |
| Out-of-pocket maximum | No cap | $3,000–$8,850 (varies by plan) | Effectively capped at the Part B deductible (~$257) |
| Provider network | Any provider accepting Medicare | HMO or PPO network — restricted | Any provider accepting Medicare — no network |
| Referrals required for specialists | No | Often, on HMO plans | No |
| Coverage when traveling outside Florida | Yes, anywhere in the U.S. | Emergency only outside network | Yes, anywhere in the U.S. (foreign travel rider available) |
| ↳ Important for snowbirds and frequent travelers. | |||
| Prescription drug coverage | Not included — must add Part D | Usually bundled in | Not included — must add Part D separately |
| Dental, vision, hearing | Not covered | Often included with limits | Not covered — must add separately |
| Ability to switch later | Can switch into Advantage or Supplement during enrollment periods | Can switch back to Original Medicare, but Supplement may require underwriting | Can switch to Advantage at enrollment periods |
| ↳ In Florida, you have no guaranteed-issue right to buy a Supplement plan after your initial enrollment in most cases. If you start on Advantage and develop a health condition, you may not be able to switch to Supplement later. | |||
Premiums and benefits shown are typical ranges for South Florida residents in 2025 and 2026. Your actual costs depend on your zip code, age, tobacco use, the carrier you select, and the specific plan. We'll walk through your specific numbers when we meet.
The thing most people don't know
In Florida, this is largely a one-way decision.
When you first become eligible for Medicare at 65, you have a six-month window during which insurance companies must sell you a Medicare Supplement plan. They cannot ask about your health. They cannot deny you. They cannot charge you more for being sick. This is called your guaranteed-issue right.
That window closes after six months.
After that, in Florida, if you are on Medicare Advantage and want to switch to a Supplement plan, the insurance company can require medical underwriting. They can ask about your health. They can deny your application. They can charge you significantly more if you have any chronic conditions. Some carriers will simply not accept new applicants past a certain age.
This is why the choice at 65 matters so much. If you choose Advantage when you are healthy because the premium is lower, and then you develop a serious health condition at 68, you may not be able to get out. You will be locked into the network restrictions, prior authorization requirements, and out-of-pocket exposure of your Advantage plan exactly when you need flexibility the most.
Going the other way — Supplement to Advantage — is easy. You can switch every year during the Annual Election Period in October–December. There is no underwriting.
The asymmetry is real, and almost no agent will explain it to you on a phone call.
The honest scorecard
When each plan is actually the right answer.
Medicare Advantage
Better when…
- · Your monthly cash flow matters more than worst-case medical exposure, and you have savings to absorb a bad year if it comes.
- · You stay in South Florida year-round and your doctors are in a major Advantage network.
- · You value bundled extras — dental, vision, hearing aids, gym memberships, OTC allowances — and use them.
- · You qualify for a $0 premium plan and your medications are on its formulary.
- · You are willing to manage referrals, prior authorizations, and the possibility that doctors may leave the network in future years.
Medicare Supplement (Plan G)
Better when…
- · You want a known monthly cost and near-zero variability in your medical bills.
- · You travel — between Florida and another state, between cities, internationally — and need coverage that follows you.
- · You have a doctor or specialist you want to keep, and they accept Original Medicare.
- · You have a family history of conditions that may require specialized care, and you do not want network restrictions when that time comes.
- · You can absorb a higher monthly premium today in exchange for protection against the years when you cannot.
A real example
What the numbers actually look like.
Consider a 65-year-old non-smoker living in Boca Raton. Healthy now. Two prescriptions. Sees a primary care doctor twice a year and a specialist annually for a routine follow-up.
Advantage path
~$1,200/year
In a healthy year. Mostly Part B premium, low or zero plan premium, small copays.
~$8,000+/year
In a bad year. Hitting the out-of-pocket maximum is rare but not unusual after a hospitalization or major procedure.
Supplement (Plan G) path
~$5,500/year
Plan G premium plus Part B premium plus a Part D plan. Predictable.
~$5,800/year
In a bad year. Plan G covers nearly everything; you mostly just pay the Part B deductible (~$257) on top of premiums.
In a typical decade, the Advantage path costs less in good years and more in bad years. Whether the trade is worth it depends on how many of each you expect, how much you can absorb, and how much you value not having to think about it.
How we work through it
Our process for the comparison conversation.
01
A 15-minute call.
We talk briefly. You tell us where you are — turning 65, already on Medicare, or planning ahead. We tell you whether a longer conversation makes sense. If it does not, we will tell you that too.
02
An in-person meeting.
At your home, a coffee shop, or our office. We pull live quotes for your zip code, run the math on both paths with your actual prescriptions and providers, and walk through scenarios honestly.
03
You decide.
We never pressure a decision in the meeting. You take the materials home, sleep on it, and circle back when you are ready. If you choose to enroll, we handle the paperwork and stay your point of contact for as long as you have the plan.
Questions
Common questions about the comparison
If Medicare Advantage costs less, why would anyone choose Supplement?
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Predictability. Advantage plans cap your costs but you can still hit that cap — $4,000 to $8,000 in a serious year. Supplement plans cost more each month but virtually nothing when you actually use medical care. People who choose Supplement are usually buying peace of mind: a known monthly cost in exchange for nearly zero medical bills, no network restrictions, and no plan changes year to year.
Can I switch from Advantage to Supplement later if I change my mind?
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In Florida, generally no — not without medical underwriting. After your initial enrollment period at 65, insurance companies can deny you a Supplement plan or charge higher rates based on your health. This is the single most important fact people do not learn before they enroll. If you are healthy at 65 and choose Advantage to save money, then develop a serious condition at 70, you may be locked into Advantage for life. Florida is one of the harder states for this. We walk through your specific situation in the consultation.
What is Plan G and why do you keep referencing it?
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Plan G is the most-purchased Medicare Supplement plan for new enrollees in 2025. It covers everything Original Medicare leaves uncovered except the small annual Part B deductible (around $257). Plan F used to be the gold standard but is no longer available to people newly eligible for Medicare. Plan N is similar to Plan G with slightly lower premiums and small copays at doctor visits. We compare all the live options when we meet, but Plan G is the typical anchor for the conversation.
Do I need a separate prescription drug plan with a Supplement?
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Yes. Supplement plans (Plan G, Plan N, etc.) do not include drug coverage. You buy a stand-alone Part D plan separately, which adds roughly $0 to $80 per month depending on your medications and the plan you pick. Medicare Advantage usually bundles drug coverage in. We handle Part D selection in the same meeting as the Supplement selection.
I travel a lot. How does that affect the choice?
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Significantly. If you split time between Florida and another state — common for snowbirds — Supplement plans are usually the cleaner answer because they have no network. Any provider in the U.S. who accepts Medicare will accept your Plan G. Most Advantage plans only cover emergency care outside their network, which can leave you exposed during the months you are not in your home state. Frequent international travelers should also know that Supplement plans typically include a foreign travel emergency rider; Advantage plans rarely do.
What if I am healthy and do not use much medical care?
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This is the case where the math gets interesting. If you barely see a doctor, Advantage saves you money in the years you are healthy. The question is what happens in the years you are not. The right answer depends on your tolerance for variability, your family medical history, your savings, and how you feel about the one-way-door problem in Florida. There is no single right answer for everyone — which is why we sit down and walk through your specific situation rather than recommending a plan over the phone.
How much does a Plan G actually cost in South Florida?
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Premiums vary by zip code, age, gender, tobacco use, and the carrier you choose. Typical 2025 ranges for a 65-year-old non-smoker: Miami-Dade $230–$360 per month; Broward $200–$320; Palm Beach $200–$310. Premiums increase with age. We pull live quotes from multiple carriers when we meet so you see the actual numbers for your situation, not the marketing averages.
Next step
Run the numbers on your specific situation.
The averages on this page only go so far. Your actual costs depend on your zip code, your doctors, your medications, and your tolerance for variability. We do that math with you, in person, before you decide anything.