Medicare Plus Choice (Medicare Part C)

Part of the Balanced Budget Act of 1997 that permits Medicare recipients to select coverage among various private health care plans to include Hmos, Ppos, Point-Of-Service (POS), Medical Savings Accounts (Msa), fee-for-service plans, and provider-sponsored plans. These plans will receive a per capita payment per enrollee from the federal government, and the plans have the option to charge the enrollees a monthly premium. Persons who are eligible for Medicare Part A and are enrolled in Medicare Part B are eligible for enrollment in either the traditional Medicare program or this new Medicare Part C program. Each November, the health care financing administration will conduct open enrollment periods so that persons may select the type of health care program in which they wish to participate.