Enrolling in a Medicare Advantage plan is only the first step. The seniors who get the most out of their coverage are those who actively use the benefits available to them—many of which go unused every year. Research suggests that a significant portion of Medicare Advantage supplemental benefits are underutilized by enrollees who simply don’t know they exist. Identifying the best Medicare Advantage plans 2027 is important, but knowing how to maximize your chosen plan delivers the real financial and health payoff.
Understanding What Your Plan Actually Covers
The most common source of missed value is unfamiliarity with plan benefits. Medicare Advantage plans are required to provide a Summary of Benefits and an Evidence of Coverage document. These outline every covered service, cost-sharing requirement, and supplemental benefit in detail.
Key areas where seniors frequently leave value on the table include:
Annual wellness visits: Covered at $0 cost-sharing under most Medicare Advantage plans, these visits establish a health baseline and open the door to additional covered screenings.
Preventive screenings: Mammograms, colorectal cancer screenings, bone density tests, and cardiovascular screenings are covered preventively with no cost-sharing under most plans.
Dental allowances: Many plans offer an annual dental allowance of $1,000 to $2,500 that expires at year-end if unused.
Over-the-counter allowances: A growing number of plans provide quarterly allowances—sometimes $100 to $300—for over-the-counter health products like vitamins, pain relief, and first aid supplies.
Using Telehealth Services Strategically
Telehealth access expanded dramatically during and after the COVID-19 pandemic, and Medicare Advantage plans have largely maintained these services. As of 2024, CMS confirmed that Medicare Advantage plans may continue to offer expanded telehealth benefits beyond Original Medicare’s telehealth coverage rules.
Telehealth is particularly valuable for:
Prescription refill consultations
Chronic condition monitoring check-ins
Mental health counseling
Post-procedure follow-up visits
For seniors with mobility limitations or those in rural areas with limited provider access, telehealth can meaningfully reduce both cost and travel burden.
Fitness and Wellness Programs: An Overlooked Benefit
Most Medicare Advantage plans include access to fitness and wellness programs. These programs provide access to gym networks, fitness classes, and online workout resources at no additional cost to the enrollee.
Regular physical activity is one of the most well-documented contributors to healthy aging. A 2023 study published in JAMA Network Open found that older adults who engaged in regular moderate exercise had a 30% lower risk of hospitalization than sedentary peers. Treating a fitness benefit as a core health resource—not a peripheral perk—has measurable long-term value.
Appeals and Grievances: Know Your Rights
Medicare Advantage enrollees have the right to appeal any coverage decision they believe is incorrect. This includes denied claims, prior authorization rejections, and disputes over medical necessity determinations.
The appeals process follows a structured timeline:
Plan-level redetermination: The plan reviews its own decision, typically within 60 days
Independent Review Entity (IRE): A CMS-contracted third party reviews the case
Office of Medicare Hearings and Appeals (OMHA): A formal hearing with an Administrative Law Judge
Medicare Appeals Council
Federal District Court (for claims exceeding the threshold amount)
In 2023, CMS data showed that Medicare Advantage enrollees won a meaningful percentage of appeals that reached the IRE stage. Filing an appeal when coverage is denied is not only a right—it frequently results in a favorable outcome.
Reviewing Your Coverage Every Year Without Exception
Plan benefits, formularies, premiums, and provider networks change annually. A plan that was the best fit in 2026 may no longer be optimal in 2027. The Annual Notice of Change (ANOC) mailed to enrollees each September outlines what is changing in the coming plan year.
During Open Enrollment (October 15 – December 7), compare your current plan against available alternatives using Medicare.gov’s Plan Finder. Switching plans mid-year is generally not permitted outside of Special Enrollment Period qualifying events, so the annual window is the primary opportunity to optimize coverage.
Seniors who review their coverage annually and actively use their plan’s full suite of benefits consistently report better health outcomes and lower out-of-pocket costs than those who auto-renew without evaluation.
