08/31/2026
Medicare Education Minute ⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️
**Medicare Advantage and Medicare Supplement are NOT the same thing. Do you know the difference?**
According to eHealth’s 2026 Medicare Knowledge Gaps study, only **45% of current Medicare beneficiaries could correctly identify the basic definitions of Medicare Advantage and Medicare Supplement (Medigap).**
They work very differently.
With **Medicare Advantage**, you receive your Medicare Part A and Part B benefits through a Medicare-approved private insurance plan. Many plans also include Part D prescription drug coverage and may include additional benefits.
A **Medicare Supplement (Medigap)** works alongside Original Medicare to help pay some of the costs Original Medicare leaves behind. If you want prescription drug coverage, you generally add a separate Part D plan.
There are other important differences too, including provider access, out-of-pocket costs, plan availability, enrollment rules and how your coverage may work when you travel.
This is why choosing Medicare coverage based on a commercial, a friend's plan, or one benefit that sounds good can be a mistake. **The two paths work differently, and the right choice depends on you.**
A knowledgeable local Medicare insurance agent is trained and certified annually to understand these options and can help you compare them based on your doctors, prescriptions, healthcare needs and budget.
This is #4 in Trusted Healthcare Alliance’s 10-part series, **What Medicare Beneficiaries Don’t Know.** We want you to understand your choices before you make them.
trustedhealthcarealliance.org
*Source: eHealth, Medicare Knowledge Gaps Report, 2026*
