Medicare Advantage vs. Medicare Supplement in Fort Myers: A 2027 Local Cost Comparison
Medicare Advantage (Part C) replaces Original Medicare with a private plan that often has a $0 premium and bundles in drug coverage, but uses a network and can leave you with thousands in out-of-pocket costs in a hard year. Medicare Supplement (Medigap) pairs with Original Medicare, lets you see any provider nationwide who accepts Medicare, and covers most out-of-pocket costs for a monthly premium. Below are the 2027 numbers for Lee, Collier and Charlotte counties, so you can compare with real local figures.
- FL Life & Health License A160316
- NPN 553216
- Licensed since 1994
- Independent agency
- Serving Lee, Collier & Charlotte counties
At a Glance
| Medicare Advantage | Medicare Supplement | |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly premium | Often $0, plus Part B ($202.90/mo in 2026) | Separate premium, plus Part B. Plan G for a non-tobacco 65-year-old in Southwest Florida: about $200 to $380/mo on file with the state (estimate yours) |
| Provider network | HMO or PPO network | Any provider nationwide who accepts Medicare |
| Drug coverage | Usually included (MAPD) | Not included, needs separate Part D plan |
| Extra benefits (dental/vision/hearing) | Often included | Not included |
| Cost predictability | Copays/coinsurance up to an annual out-of-pocket max | Covers most gaps, very predictable month to month |
| Best for | Budget-conscious, generally healthy, OK with a network | Frequent travelers, want predictable costs, don't mind a higher premium |
How Medicare Advantage Works
Medicare Advantage (Part C) plans are sold by private insurers approved by Medicare. When you enroll, the private plan takes over delivering your Part A and Part B benefits, and most plans bundle in Part D drug coverage and extras like dental, vision and hearing. In exchange, you typically use a network of doctors and hospitals (HMO or PPO), and some services may require referrals or prior authorization. Every Medicare Advantage plan caps your yearly in-network out-of-pocket spending; for 2027 the federal ceiling is $9,850.
How Medicare Supplement (Medigap) Works
Medicare Supplement plans don’t replace Original Medicare; they work alongside it. You keep Original Medicare (Parts A and B) and add a Medigap policy that pays some or all of the deductibles, copays and coinsurance Original Medicare leaves you owing. Because you’re still on Original Medicare, you can see any provider in the country who accepts Medicare, with no network and no referrals. Medigap plans don’t include drug coverage, so most people pair one with a stand-alone Part D plan.
2027 Medicare Advantage in Southwest Florida, by the Numbers
Medicare Advantage is a crowded market here. These are the plans listed in CMS’s 2027 plan data for our three counties:
| 2027 plan year | Lee | Collier | Charlotte |
|---|---|---|---|
| Medicare Advantage plans listed | 67 | 59 | 62 |
| Plans with a $0 premium | 58 | 49 | 53 |
| Special Needs Plans (limited to people with Medicaid, certain chronic conditions or in a facility) | 33 | 27 | 29 |
| In-network out-of-pocket maximum, plans open to everyone | $2,750 to $9,850 median $6,725 | $2,750 to $9,850 median $6,750 | $2,750 to $9,850 median $6,750 |
Source: CMS 2027 Medicare Advantage landscape data as compiled by Q1Medicare, November 2026. Plan counts include plans with and without drug coverage. Confirm the plans for your ZIP code at Medicare.gov.
Two things stand out. First, a $0 premium is the norm, not a special deal: most plans for people without Medicaid charge nothing beyond your Part B premium, and some include a “Part B giveback” that lowers your Part B premium (up to $200 a month on one Lee County plan). Second, the out-of-pocket ceilings are high. Half of the plans open to everyone in Lee County let your in-network costs reach $6,725 or more in a bad year.
What a Year Could Cost: Plan G vs. a Typical Local Advantage Plan
Here’s a simplified comparison for a 65-year-old non-tobacco woman in Fort Myers. Both paths also pay the Part B premium ($202.90 a month in 2026; the 2027 amount hasn’t been announced yet), so it’s left out of both columns.
| Medical costs for the year | Medigap Plan G | $0-premium Advantage plan with the median limit |
|---|---|---|
| Premium | About $2,916 (median $243/mo; $201 to $344/mo on file) | $0 |
| A healthy year: checkups and a few visits | Premium plus the $283 Part B deductible (2026) | Copays for visits, often modest |
| A hard year: hospital stay, surgery or cancer care | Still the premium plus $283: about $3,199 total | Up to $6,725 in network; out of network costs more or isn’t covered on an HMO |
| Prescription drugs | Separate Part D plan; out-of-pocket capped at $2,400 in 2027 | Usually included; out-of-pocket capped at $2,400 in 2027 |
Plan G figures are the median and range of sample rates on file with the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation for Lee County ZIP codes, effective November 1, 2026. Advantage figures are the median in-network maximum for Lee County plans open to everyone. Your actual costs depend on your plan, age, ZIP code and the care you use. Not a quote.
The pattern is simple. In a healthy year, the Advantage plan usually costs less. In a year with serious care, Plan G usually costs less, often by thousands of dollars, and you know the worst case on day one. Nobody knows in advance which kind of year they’ll have, which is why this choice is really about how much risk you’re comfortable carrying.
What the Numbers Don’t Show
- Networks and approvals. With Advantage, you use the plan’s network, and many services need prior authorization. Before choosing a plan, check that your doctors and the hospitals you’d use, whether Lee Health, NCH or another system, are in that plan’s network for 2027, since networks can change year to year.
- Time away from Florida. If you spend summers up north, an HMO generally covers only emergency and urgent care outside its service area. Medigap works the same everywhere in the U.S.
- Extras. Advantage plans often include dental, vision, hearing aids, fitness programs or a Part B giveback. Medigap doesn’t, though you can buy stand-alone dental and vision coverage.
- Getting back to Medigap later. If you choose Advantage and later want a Medigap plan, Florida companies can generally ask health questions and turn you down. The main exception is the federal “trial right”: if you join Advantage for the first time, you have 12 months to change your mind and get Medigap without health questions in certain situations.
Common Mistakes People Make
- Choosing on premium alone without looking at the out-of-pocket maximum.
- Assuming you can have both; you choose one path or the other.
- Not checking that current doctors and prescriptions are covered by an Advantage plan’s network and formulary.
- Letting the six-month Medigap enrollment window pass without deciding, then finding Medigap is harder to get later.
- Comparing only Advantage plans during the October 15 to December 7 enrollment period without also pricing Medigap.
Getting Help With the Decision
We help people who choose Original Medicare compare Medicare Supplement plans across carriers, and we’re glad to talk through the trade-offs with you first. We don’t sell Medicare Advantage plans, so we’ll be straight with you if Advantage looks like the better fit. You can compare and enroll in Advantage plans at Medicare.gov or by calling 1-800-MEDICARE, and Florida’s free SHINE program offers unbiased Medicare counseling through the Area Agency on Aging for Southwest Florida at (239) 652-6900. To see Medigap rates for your own ZIP code, try the premium estimator.
Questions about your situation?
Talk with Charles “Chuck” Lunsford, a Florida-licensed agent since 1994. No cost, no obligation.
Related resources
Common questions
How many Medicare Advantage plans are available in Fort Myers for 2027?
CMS 2027 plan data lists 67 Medicare Advantage plans in Lee County, 59 in Collier and 62 in Charlotte. About half of them are Special Needs Plans that only people with Medicaid, certain chronic conditions or a nursing-home stay can join. Use Medicare.gov to see exactly which plans are offered in your ZIP code.
Is a $0-premium Medicare Advantage plan really free?
No premium is charged beyond your Part B premium, but you pay copays and coinsurance as you use care, up to the plan’s yearly out-of-pocket maximum. For 2027 Lee County plans open to everyone, that maximum ranges from $2,750 to $9,850 in network, with a median of $6,725.
Can I have both Medicare Advantage and a Medicare Supplement plan?
No. You choose one path: either Original Medicare plus an optional Medigap policy, or a Medicare Advantage plan that replaces Original Medicare. You cannot be enrolled in both a Medicare Advantage plan and a Medigap policy at the same time.
Which is cheaper, Medicare Advantage or Medicare Supplement?
Medicare Advantage usually has a lower (often $0) monthly premium, while Medigap has a higher premium but covers more of your out-of-pocket costs. Whether one is ‘cheaper’ overall depends on how much healthcare you use in a given year.
Can I switch from Medicare Advantage to Medigap later?
Yes, but outside your initial enrollment window, Medigap insurers in most states can use medical underwriting, meaning your health history could affect your eligibility or premium. Some situations, like moving or losing coverage, may qualify you for guaranteed-issue rights.
Do Medicare Supplement plans cover prescription drugs?
No. Medigap plans do not include drug coverage. Most people who choose Medigap also enroll in a standalone Medicare Part D prescription drug plan.
Does Medicare Advantage work if I travel or split time between Florida and another state?
Most Medicare Advantage plans cover emergency and urgent care nationwide, but routine care outside your plan’s network usually isn’t covered. If you travel often or spend part of the year outside Southwest Florida, that’s worth weighing against Medigap’s nationwide provider access.
Request a call
Tell us what you’re looking for and the best time to reach you. We usually call back within one business day.
Prefer to talk now? Call (239) 633-4392.