Pros

The good news. We found some.

Medicare has a lot going for it, if you squint hard enough and tilt your head just right. Here are the upsides — presented with complete sincerity and absolutely no caveats whatsoever.

You're covered. (Mostly.)

Medicare covers hospital stays, doctor visits, and a curated selection of the medications your doctor actually wanted to prescribe. The ones she settled for are also covered, which is almost the same thing.

Prior authorization keeps you safe.

Before you can receive certain treatments, your insurer gets to review your doctor's medical judgment and offer a second opinion. From a call center. In three to five business days. It's like having a specialist — one who has never met you and is evaluated on denial rates.

The formulary is full of choices.

Your plan's drug formulary lists hundreds of approved medications, and your prescription is almost certainly on it — or something "therapeutically equivalent" that your body may or may not agree with. Either way, choices!

You can appeal any denial.

If your claim is denied, you have the right to appeal. And then appeal again. And again. Most people give up after the second round, which is — according to insurers — a successful outcome.

Generic drugs are very affordable.

Many generics cost just a few dollars per month. Brand-name drugs cost what a used car costs per month, but that's what the formulary is for. See: The formulary is full of choices, above.

Medicare Advantage plans offer extras.

Some Medicare Advantage plans include dental, vision, and gym memberships — benefits traditional Medicare doesn't cover. In exchange, you agree to a network of providers your insurer has selected for their cost-effectiveness rather than, say, their proximity to your home.

You always know where you stand.

Your Explanation of Benefits document, delivered after every claim, clearly explains what was covered, what wasn't, and why — in 11-point type across four pages, using terminology your insurer's legal team spent years perfecting.

Feel better? We thought so.