Editor’s Note: This article is part of MOAA’s 2023-24 TRICARE Guide, brought to you by MOAA Insurance Plans, administered by Association Member Benefits Advisors (AMBA). A version of the guide appeared in the November 2023 issue of Military Officer magazine.

Medicare Advantage Plans (MAPs), or Medicare Part C, are commercial alternatives to the federal government’s Original Medicare (OM) programs: Part A = hospitalization, Part B = medical insurance, and Part D = pharmacy.

Here are frequently asked questions MOAA receives about MAPs:

Q. What is a MAP?

A. A MAP is an open-market alternative to the federal government’s Original Medicare (OM) Parts A and B. MAPs are state regulated, so individuals must research plans offered in their state.

Q. Do MAPs work with TRICARE For Life (TFL)?

A. Yes, TFL will act as your MAP supplement just like OM. MAPs to avoid are those that include a pharmacy benefit (Medicare Part D equivalent). This will interfere with your TFL pharmacy benefit, necessitating the filing of claims to recoup copayments.

[RELATED: Here Are Your 2024 Medicare Part B Rates]

Q. How can MAPs offer dental and vision coverage at no extra cost?

A. You are not paying dental or vision insurance premiums for the MAP, but you almost certainly are paying significantly higher copays than having a separate dental or vision plan. Read the fine print of a MAP’s dental and vision coverage before signing on.

Q. Am I locked into keeping a MAP once I’ve enrolled?

A. No, each “open season” provides you with the opportunity to switch plans from OM to a MAP and from a MAP to OM or another MAP.