Plan vs plan · Houston County, MN · 2027 plan year

Medica Advantage Salute (PPO) vs Gundersen MN Quartz Med Advantage Value D (w/Rx) (HMO)

Medicare.gov compares Medicare Advantage plans with each other. This page also shows Original Medicare, so you can see the full trade-off: premiums, copays, the yearly limit, extra benefits, and the rules about doctors and approvals.

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Medica Advantage Salute (PPO)

Plan premium: $0 a month
Yearly limit, in network: $4,450
2027 star rating: 4 of 5
Prior authorization needed for: 11 services

Gundersen MN Quartz Med Advantage Value D (w/Rx) (HMO)

Plan premium: $93 a month
Yearly limit, in network: $4,900
2027 star rating: 4.5 of 5
Prior authorization needed for: 12 services

In Minnesota, you get one more chance at Medigap only up to age 70

You can buy any Medigap plan with no health questions in the 6 months that start when you are 65 or older and have Part B. After that, a Medigap company in Minnesota can ask about your health and can say no. Minnesota gives people aged 65 to 70 one more chance. If you never had Medigap, you can buy it one time without health questions. Apply from October 15 to December 7 or from January 1 to March 31. Your price then stays 15% to 35% higher for as long as you keep the plan.

One exception is the trial right. If you joined Medicare Advantage when you first got Medicare at 65, or you left a Medigap plan to try Medicare Advantage for the first time, you can switch back within 12 months. Then you can buy a Medigap plan with no health questions.

Read about Medigap rights on Medicare.gov

Your yearly cost, side by side

Move the controls to match your year. Totals include premiums, the Part B premium, copays, and drug costs.

How much care do you expect?

Ongoing specialist care

Medigap plan with Original Medicare

Minnesota sets its own Medigap plans: the Basic Plan and the Extended Basic Plan, with optional riders. Minnesota also sells its own versions of Plans K, L, M, and N. A high-deductible plan is open only to people who were eligible for Medicare before 2020. We have no prices for these plans, so the totals show Original Medicare without Medigap. Without Medigap you pay 20% of most costs, with no yearly limit. Check Medigap plans and prices for ZIP 55921 on Medicare.gov

Specialist visits a year6Days in the hospital0

Brand-name drugs you fill each month1

Want to check your exact drugs? Medicare.gov lets you enter each drug and shows what each plan charges for it. Enter your drugs on Medicare.gov

Original Medicare

With no Medigap and AARP Medicare Rx Saver from UHC (PDP)

$6,015 a year

Premiums: $2,638
Medical costs: $1,616
Drugs: $1,762

No yearly limit on what you pay for medical care.

Medica Advantage Salute (PPO)

PPO from Medica

$8,981 a year

Premiums: $594
Medical costs: $1,355
Drugs: $7,032

Most you can pay in a bad year, before drugs: $5,044. This plan has no drug coverage, and its members cannot add a separate drug plan. We count drugs at full price. People often pick it when they get drugs from the VA, TRICARE, or an employer.

Gundersen MN Quartz Med Advantage Value D (w/Rx) (HMO)

HMO from Quartz Medicare Advantage (HMO)

$6,620 a year

Premiums: $3,630
Medical costs: $1,490
Drugs: $1,500

Most you can pay in a bad year, before drugs: $8,530.

With these settings, Original Medicare costs about $605 less a year than Gundersen MN Quartz Med Advantage Value D (w/Rx) (HMO).

These are estimates, not quotes. Check every number with Medicare (Medicare.gov or 1-800-MEDICARE) and with the plan before you choose. What you pay depends on your doctors and hospitals, your drugs and pharmacy, and the care you use. Drug costs use typical prices for generic and brand-name drugs. Original Medicare amounts are 2027 projections from the 2026 Medicare Trustees Report. CMS sets the final amounts in November.

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What you pay each time you get care

In-network costs for one visit or one stay. The Original Medicare amounts follow your Medigap choice above: no Medigap.

Primary doctor visit

Original Medicare, no Medigap
20%
after the $292 yearly Part B deductible
Medica Advantage Salute (PPO)
$0 copay
Gundersen MN Quartz Med Advantage Value D (w/Rx) (HMO)
$15

Specialist visit

Original Medicare, no Medigap
20%
after the $292 yearly Part B deductible
Medica Advantage Salute (PPO)
$50
Gundersen MN Quartz Med Advantage Value D (w/Rx) (HMO)
$50

Lab tests

Original Medicare, no Medigap
$0
most Medicare-covered tests
Medica Advantage Salute (PPO)
$0 copay
Prior authorization
Gundersen MN Quartz Med Advantage Value D (w/Rx) (HMO)
$20
Prior authorization

MRI or CT scan

Original Medicare, no Medigap
20%
after the $292 yearly Part B deductible
Medica Advantage Salute (PPO)
$0-$90
Prior authorization
Gundersen MN Quartz Med Advantage Value D (w/Rx) (HMO)
$200

Emergency room

Original Medicare, no Medigap
20%
after the $292 yearly Part B deductible
Medica Advantage Salute (PPO)
$150
Gundersen MN Quartz Med Advantage Value D (w/Rx) (HMO)
$130

Urgent care

Original Medicare, no Medigap
20%
after the $292 yearly Part B deductible
Medica Advantage Salute (PPO)
$40
Gundersen MN Quartz Med Advantage Value D (w/Rx) (HMO)
$50

Outpatient surgery

Original Medicare, no Medigap
20%
after the $292 yearly Part B deductible
Medica Advantage Salute (PPO)
$0-$200
Prior authorization
Gundersen MN Quartz Med Advantage Value D (w/Rx) (HMO)
$0-$250

Ground ambulance

Original Medicare, no Medigap
20%
after the $292 yearly Part B deductible
Medica Advantage Salute (PPO)
$395
Gundersen MN Quartz Med Advantage Value D (w/Rx) (HMO)
$300
Prior authorization

Hospital stay, 5 days

Original Medicare, no Medigap
$1,788
Part A deductible each benefit period; $447 a day for days 61-90
Medica Advantage Salute (PPO)
$2,025
for a 5-day stay
Prior authorization
Gundersen MN Quartz Med Advantage Value D (w/Rx) (HMO)
$1,375
for a 5-day stay
Prior authorization

See every cost in one table

What you pay in network	Original Medicare, no Medigap	Medica Advantage Salute (PPO)	Gundersen MN Quartz Med Advantage Value D (w/Rx) (HMO)
Monthly premium	Part B $209.50 + drug plan $10.30	$0 (pays back $160 a month of your Part B premium) + Part B $209.50	$93 + Part B $209.50
Yearly limit on what you pay	No yearly limit	$4,450 in network; $6,700 in and out of network	$4,900 in network
Medical deductible	$292 Part B; $1,788 Part A each benefit period	$0	$0
Primary doctor visit	20%, after the $292 yearly Part B deductible	$0 copay	$15 copay
Specialist visit	20%, after the $292 yearly Part B deductible	$50 copay	$50 copay
Lab tests	$0, most Medicare-covered tests	$0 copayPrior authorization	$20 copayPrior authorization
MRI or CT scan	20%, after the $292 yearly Part B deductible	$0-$90 copayPrior authorization	$200 copay
X-rays	20%, after the $292 yearly Part B deductible	$25 copayPrior authorization	$20 copay
Emergency room	20%, after the $292 yearly Part B deductible	$150 copay	$130 copay
Urgent care	20%, after the $292 yearly Part B deductible	$40 copay	$50 copay
Outpatient hospital	20%, after the $292 yearly Part B deductible	$0-$300 copayPrior authorization	$0-$250 copayPrior authorization
Surgery center	20%, after the $292 yearly Part B deductible	$0-$200 copayPrior authorization	$0-$250 copay
Ground ambulance	20%, after the $292 yearly Part B deductible	$395 copay	$300 copayPrior authorization
Hospital stay	$1,788, Part A deductible each benefit period; $447 a day for days 61-90	$405 per day for days 1-6; $0 per day for days 7-90Prior authorization	$275 per day for days 1-6; $0 per day for days 7-90Prior authorization
Skilled nursing facility	$0, days 1-20, then $223.50 a day for days 21-100	$0 per day for days 1-20; $221 per day for days 21-42; $0 per day for days 43-100Prior authorization	$0 per day for days 1-20; $221 per day for days 21-100Prior authorization
Mental health visit	20%, after the $292 yearly Part B deductible	$40 copay	$40 copay
Physical therapy	20%, after the $292 yearly Part B deductible	$50 copay	$40 copayPrior authorization
Home health care	$0, Medicare-covered home health	$0 copay	$0 copayPrior authorization
Medical equipment	20%, after the $292 yearly Part B deductible	20% coinsurancePrior authorization	20% coinsurancePrior authorization
Part B drugs	20% after the $292 Part B deductible	0%-20% coinsurancePrior authorization	0%-20% coinsurancePrior authorization
Drug deductible (Part D)	$700 with AARP Medicare Rx Saver from UHC (PDP)	No drug coverage	$225
Drug tiers (one month, retail)	Preferred Generic: $0 copayGeneric: $5 copayPreferred Brand: 18% coinsuranceNon-Preferred Drug: 38% coinsuranceSpecialty Tier: 25% coinsurance	No drug coverage	Preferred Generic: $0 copayGeneric: $10 copayPreferred Brand: 20% coinsuranceNon-Preferred Drug: 35% coinsuranceSpecialty Tier: 30% coinsuranceSelect Care Drugs: $0 copay

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A higher drug plan premium is not, by itself, a reason to switch

With Original Medicare, you buy a separate drug plan. In Minnesota, 9 drug plans are for sale for 2027, from $5.30 to $222.90 a month. Half of them cost $33.30 a month or less.

Every 2027 drug plan limits what you pay for covered drugs to $2,400 a year. The drug coverage in Medicare Advantage plans has the same limit.
The premium is one part of your yearly cost. The calculator above adds premiums, medical costs, and drug costs, so you can see the whole year.
A Medicare Advantage plan can cost less in a light year. But you also take on its network and prior authorization rules, and you may not be able to get Medigap later.
If your income is limited, Extra Help can pay most of your drug plan premium and drug costs. Check Extra Help at SSA.gov

Doctors, referrals, and prior authorization

Cost is one side. The other side is how you get care. These rules come from the CMS plan files. Prior authorization means the plan must approve a service before you get it.

Original Medicare

Any doctor or hospital in the U.S. that takes Medicare
No referrals
Prior authorization only for a short list of services

Medica Advantage Salute (PPO)

PPO

The plan has a network. You can go outside it, but you pay more.
No referral needed to see a specialist.

Prior authorization for 11 services

Diagnostic tests, MRI or CT, Radiation therapy, Outpatient hospital, Surgery center, Medical equipment, Prosthetics, Diabetic supplies, Hospital stay, Skilled nursing, Part B drugs

Gundersen MN Quartz Med Advantage Value D (w/Rx) (HMO)

HMO

You use doctors and hospitals in the plan network. Outside the network, the plan pays for emergencies and urgent care.
No referral needed to see a specialist.

Prior authorization for 12 services

Diagnostic tests, Outpatient hospital, Ambulance, Physical therapy, Occupational therapy, Home health, Partial hospitalization, Medical equipment, Prosthetics, Hospital stay, Skilled nursing, Part B drugs

Extra benefits

Extra benefit	Original Medicare	Medica Advantage Salute (PPO)	Gundersen MN Quartz Med Advantage Value D (w/Rx) (HMO)
Dental	No	Comprehensive, up to $1,500 a year	Comprehensive, up to $400 a year
Eye exam	No	Yes	Yes
Glasses or contacts	No	Yes, $200 allowance	Yes, $175 allowance
Hearing aids	No	Yes, copays from $549	Yes, up to $1,250
Over-the-counter allowance	No	$200 a year	No
Fitness benefit	No	Yes	No
Rides to care	No	No	No
Meals after a hospital stay	No	No	No
Emergency care abroad	No, unless your Medigap plan pays for it	Yes	Yes
Part B premium giveback	No	$160 a month	No

What changed for 2027

Medica Advantage Salute (PPO)

Renewal Plan with SAR · 2026 plan H8889-009-0

In-network out-of-pocket maximum down from $6,750 to $4,450
Part B giveback up from $100 to $160
Emergency care: $130 copay to $150 copay
Urgent care: $0-$45 copay to $40 copay
Outpatient hospital: $0-$375 copay to $0-$300 copay
Skilled nursing facility: $0 per day for days 1-20; $218 per day for days 21-52; $0 per day for days 53-100 to $0 per day for days 1-20; $221 per day for days 21-42; $0 per day for days 43-100
Dental maximum up from $800 to $1,500
Yearly OTC allowance up from $100 to $200
Eyewear allowance up from $100 to $200
Overall star rating up from 3.5 to 4

Gundersen MN Quartz Med Advantage Value D (w/Rx) (HMO)

Renewal Plan · 2026 plan H9834-003-0

Monthly premium up from $72 to $93
In-network out-of-pocket maximum up from $4,200 to $4,900
Emergency care: $150 copay to $130 copay
Urgent care: $60 copay to $50 copay
Diagnostic radiology (MRI, CT): $100 copay to $200 copay
Outpatient hospital: $0-$200 copay to $0-$250 copay
Inpatient hospital: $250 per day for days 1-6; $0 per day for days 7-90 to $275 per day for days 1-6; $0 per day for days 7-90
Skilled nursing facility: $0 per day for days 1-20; $215 per day for days 21-100 to $0 per day for days 1-20; $221 per day for days 21-100
Dental maximum down from $500 to $400
Eyewear allowance down from $225 to $175
Overall star rating up from 4 to 4.5

More 2027 plans in Houston County

County guide: 2027 plans in Houston County State guide: Minnesota

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Sources and method

Plan data comes from the CMS 2027 Plan Benefit Package and landscape files. The data is from 2026-10-10. We checked a sample of plans field by field against Medicare.gov. Original Medicare amounts are the 2027 projections in the 2026 Medicare Trustees Report (Tables V.E1 and V.E2). CMS sets the final amounts in November. Minnesota sets its own Medigap plans: the Basic Plan and the Extended Basic Plan, with optional riders. Minnesota also sells its own versions of Plans K, L, M, and N. A high-deductible plan is open only to people who were eligible for Medicare before 2020. We have no prices or cost model for these plans, so the totals show Original Medicare without Medigap. You can look up Medigap plans and prices for ZIP 55921 on Medicare.gov. Totals use typical Medicare-allowed amounts for each service and typical drug prices.

These are estimates, not quotes, and they are for education only. Check every number with Medicare and with the plan before you choose. What you pay depends on your doctors and hospitals, your drugs and pharmacy, and the care you use. Plans can change their benefits, premiums, drug lists, and networks each year.

Pinnie is not an insurance agent or broker and does not sell Medicare plans. Pinnie is not connected with or endorsed by the U.S. government or the federal Medicare program. For all your options, visit Medicare.gov or call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227), TTY 1-877-486-2048.

See all comparisons

Medica Advantage Salute (PPO) vs Gundersen MN Quartz Med Advantage Value D (w/Rx) (HMO)

Your yearly cost, side by side

What you pay each time you get care

A higher drug plan premium is not, by itself, a reason to switch

Doctors, referrals, and prior authorization

Extra benefits

What changed for 2027

More 2027 plans in Houston County

Questions about your choice? Text us.

Sources and method

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