Disclaimer arrow_icon

By shopping with third-party insurance agencies, you may be contacted by a licensed insurance agent from an independent agency that is not connected with or endorsed by the federal Medicare program.

These agents/agencies may not offer every plan available in your area. Please contact Medicare.gov or 1-800-Medicare to get information on all options available.

Learn about Medicare plans.^*

Explore plans from a licensed agency!

These agents/agencies may not offer every plan available in your area. Please contact Medicare.gov or 1-800-Medicare to get information on all options available.

Home > Glossary > private fee-for-service plan

private fee-for-service plan

What is a private fee-for-service Medicare plan?

Private fee-for-service plans are a type of Medicare Advantage plan. Some have provider networks, while others will allow you to receive care from any hospital or doctor that accepts the plan’s coverage.

Reimbursements to doctors are not the same as they’d be under Original Medicare, and doctors are free to determine whether or not they’ll accept the plan’s patients. Enrollees in private fee-for-service plans do not have to have a referral from a primary care doctor in order to see a specialist. More details about private fee-for-service plans are available here.

Private fee-for-service plans sometimes include prescription drug coverage, but if they don’t, you’re allowed to purchase a stand-alone prescription drug plan (that’s not the case with other Medicare Advantage plans, unless they’re Medicare Medical Savings Account Plans). More details about this are available here and here.

What is Medicare Advantage?

Learn what Medicare Advantage (Medicare Part C) will cover, how much premiums cost, plan eligibility, enrollment windows and benefits.

How to choose between Medicare Advantage, Medigap and Medicare Part D prescription drug plans

Considering a change to your Medicare coverage? Consider these 10 factors when choosing between Medicare Advantage, Medigap, and Part D coverage.

What is Medicare Advantage?

Learn what Medicare Advantage (Medicare Part C) will cover, how much premiums cost, plan eligibility, enrollment windows and benefits.

How to choose between Medicare Advantage, Medigap and Medicare Part D prescription drug plans

Considering a change to your Medicare coverage? Consider these 10 factors when choosing between Medicare Advantage, Medigap, and Part D coverage.

See more articles

private fee-for-service plan

What is a private fee-for-service Medicare plan?

What is a private fee-for-service Medicare plan?

Related Articles

What is Medicare Advantage?

How to choose between Medicare Advantage, Medigap and Medicare Part D prescription drug plans

What is Medicare Advantage?

How to choose between Medicare Advantage, Medigap and Medicare Part D prescription drug plans