Medicare Supplement

Medicare in Savannah: Which Path Fits You in 2026?

SAVANNAH, Ga. — If you're turning 65 in Savannah, or already on Medicare and rethinking your coverage, you've probably heard two very different pitches. One friend swears by Medicare Advantage. Another says Original Medicare with a Medigap policy is the only way to go.

Two paths, one goal: getting your Medicare right

Both paths are legitimate. They're just built differently. Understanding how they're structured — before you look at any specific plan — makes every other decision easier.

Path 1: Original Medicare + Medigap (+ usually a Part D drug plan)

Original Medicare is the federal program run by CMS. It has two main parts:

• Part A covers hospital stays, skilled nursing, hospice, and some home health.
• Part B covers doctor visits, outpatient care, lab work, and preventive services.

Original Medicare pays its share, and you're responsible for the rest — deductibles, the 20% coinsurance under Part B, and so on. There's no yearly cap on what you could owe out of pocket.

That's where Medigap (also called Medicare Supplement) comes in. Medigap is private insurance that helps pay the "gaps" Original Medicare leaves behind. Medigap plans are standardized by letter (Plan G, Plan N, etc.), so a Plan G from one carrier covers the same core benefits as a Plan G from another.

Because Original Medicare doesn't include prescription coverage, most people on this path also add a stand-alone Part D drug plan.

Doctor access is broad: any provider in the U.S. who accepts Medicare will generally see you. No networks, no referrals.

Path 2: Medicare Advantage (Part C)

Medicare Advantage — sometimes called Part C — is an alternative way to receive your Medicare benefits. You still have Medicare, but a private insurance company, approved by Medicare, administers your Part A and Part B coverage (and usually Part D drug coverage) all in one plan.

Advantage plans typically use networks (HMO or PPO) and may require referrals or prior authorization for certain services. Many bundle in extras Original Medicare doesn't cover, like routine dental, vision, or hearing.

A key difference from Original Medicare: every Medicare Advantage plan has an annual out-of-pocket maximum for Part A and B services, which caps your yearly medical spending.

Availability is local. Savannah is in Chatham County, where the specific set of Medicare Advantage and Part D plans offered is determined at the county level by CMS. To see the current count of plans and carriers in Chatham County, use the Plan Finder at medicare.gov.

What's the same on both paths in 2026

No matter which path you choose, some 2026 program-level rules apply:

• The Part D out-of-pocket cap is $2,100 for the year. Once you hit it, you pay $0 for covered drugs the rest of the year.
• The Part D maximum deductible is $615 (plans can set it lower).
• The old "donut hole" coverage gap is gone — Part D now has three phases: deductible, initial coverage, and catastrophic.
• The Medicare Prescription Payment Plan lets you spread your drug costs into monthly payments across the year instead of paying big bills at the pharmacy counter.
• IRMAA — the income-related surcharge on Part B and Part D premiums — starts above $109,000 in income for a single filer in 2026.

How to think about which path fits

There's no universal winner. It comes down to how you weigh a few trade-offs:

• Provider choice. Do you want to see any doctor who accepts Medicare, anywhere in the country? Or are you comfortable using a plan's network in the Savannah area?
• Predictability. Medigap tends to mean higher monthly premiums but very predictable costs when you use care. Medicare Advantage often has lower premiums but more variable cost-sharing as you use services, capped by the plan's out-of-pocket max.
• Travel. If you split time between Georgia and another state — or travel a lot — Original Medicare + Medigap travels easily. Advantage plan networks are geographic.
• Prescriptions. Look at your actual medications. Drug coverage varies plan by plan, and the formulary matters more than the premium.
• Medigap timing. In most states, you get your best shot at buying a Medigap policy — with no medical underwriting — during your six-month Medigap Open Enrollment Period that starts when you're 65 and enrolled in Part B. After that window, carriers may look at your health history. Georgia's rules follow the federal baseline here, so timing matters.

Key dates to remember

• October 15 – December 7: Medicare Annual Enrollment Period. You can join, switch, or drop a Medicare Advantage or Part D plan for the following year.
• January 1 – March 31: Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period. If you're already in a Medicare Advantage plan, you can switch to a different Advantage plan or return to Original Medicare (and add a Part D plan).

Moving between Medicare Advantage and a Medigap policy later in life isn't always simple — Medigap underwriting can come into play. That's a good conversation to have with a licensed advisor or your local SHIP counselor before you switch.