Do I lose Original Medicare if I join a Medicare Advantage plan?

No. You stay enrolled in Medicare Part A and Part B and keep paying your Part B premium. The Medicare Advantage plan administers those benefits for you, and you can return to Original Medicare during an enrollment period.

Can I switch Medicare Advantage plans in Central New York after December 7?

Yes, in two situations. Between January 1 and March 31, anyone already in a Medicare Advantage plan can make one switch during the Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period. If your plan is not renewed for the new year, you also have a Special Enrollment Period from December 8 through the last day of February.

Do Medicare Advantage plans in Syracuse cover Upstate, Crouse, and St. Joseph's?

Some do and some do not, and it changes by plan and by year. Never assume. Ask the agent to confirm each hospital and each doctor against the specific plan's 2027 provider directory before you enroll.

Do I need to re-enroll in Medicare Advantage every year?

No. Your plan renews automatically each year unless the plan is not renewed or leaves your county, in which case you receive a written notice and a Special Enrollment Period. Reviewing your coverage each fall during the Annual Enrollment Period is still worthwhile, because plans change from year to year.

Central New York guide

Medicare Advantage Plans in Central New York: How They Work and What to Compare

Medicare Advantage plans cover a large share of people on Medicare in Central New York, and they are also the plans most affected when an insurer leaves a county. This guide explains how they work, when you can change, and what a licensed agent checks before recommending one.

Updated September 22, 2026. Written for the 2027 plan year.

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What a Medicare Advantage plan is

Medicare Advantage, also called Part C, is a way to receive your Part A (hospital) and Part B (medical) benefits through a private insurance company that Medicare pays to manage your care. The plan must cover everything Original Medicare covers, and many plans also include Part D prescription drug coverage. In return, the plan can require you to use its network of doctors and hospitals and, in many plans, to get referrals or prior approval for some services.

Federal rules require every Medicare Advantage plan to cap what you pay out of pocket each year for covered medical services, which Original Medicare alone does not do. Plans differ from one another and from county to county, which is why the comparison is done for the county you live in.

HMO, PPO, and Special Needs Plans

HMO plans cover care only inside their network except in an emergency, and usually require a primary care doctor and referrals.
PPO plans let you see out-of-network providers, usually at a higher cost, and generally do not require referrals.
Special Needs Plans (SNPs) are limited to people with certain chronic conditions, people who have both Medicare and Medicaid, or people living in an institution, and tailor their benefits to that group.

Networks in Central New York

Plan networks here are built around a handful of hospital systems: Upstate University Hospital, Crouse Health, and St. Joseph's Health in Syracuse; Mohawk Valley Health System in Utica; Rochester Regional Health and UR Medicine in the Rochester area; UHS in Binghamton; Samaritan Health in Watertown; and Cayuga Health in Ithaca. A plan that includes your primary doctor may not include your cardiologist or the hospital you would choose for surgery.

Networks change every year. The plan that included your specialist in 2026 may not in 2027, which is why every replacement search on this site starts with your doctors, not with a premium.

When you can join or change a Medicare Advantage plan

Initial Enrollment Period: the seven months around your 65th birthday, or around your 25th month of Social Security disability benefits.
Annual Enrollment Period: October 15 to December 7 each year, for coverage starting January 1.
Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period: January 1 to March 31, when someone already in a Medicare Advantage plan can make one switch to another Medicare Advantage plan or return to Original Medicare.
Special Enrollment Periods: triggered by events such as moving, losing other coverage, qualifying for Extra Help, or your plan leaving Medicare or your county. A plan that is not renewed gives its members a Special Enrollment Period from December 8 through the last day of February.

What to compare before you choose

Whether each of your doctors and your preferred hospital are in the network, and whether you need referrals.
Whether each of your prescriptions is on the plan's drug list, at what tier, and at which pharmacies.
How the plan's costs would work for the care you actually use, such as specialist visits, hospital stays, and outpatient surgery, which a licensed agent walks through with you.
The plan's Medicare Star Rating, which scores member experience, quality of care, and customer service from 1 to 5.

Medicare Advantage or a Medicare Supplement?

There is no answer that fits everyone. Medicare Advantage tends to suit people who are comfortable with a network, want one card and one company, and value a built-in drug plan and extras. A Medicare Supplement tends to suit people who want to see any doctor without referrals, travel often, or have serious ongoing care and prefer predictable costs. Read the Medicare Supplement guide on this site, then talk both paths through with a licensed agent who can show them side by side for your county.