Medicare Basics
Hoover over each box to learn more.
Hospital Insurance:
Helps cover inpatient care in hospitals, skilled nursing facility care, hospice care, and home health care.
Part A
Medical Insurance:
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Services from doctors and other health care providers
Outpatient care
Home health care
Durable medical equipment (like wheelchairs, walkers, hospital beds, and other equipment)
Many preventive services (like screenings, shots or vaccines, and yearly “Wellness” visits)
Part B
Drug coverage Helps cover the cost of prescription drugs (including many recommended shots or vaccines). You join a Medicare drug plan in addition to
Original Medicare, or you get it by joining a
Medicare Advantage Plan with drug coverage. Plans that offer Medicare drug coverage are run by private insurance companies that follow rules set by Medicare.
Part D
Medicare Advantage is a Medicare-approved plan from a private company that offers an alternative to Original Medicare for your health and drug coverage. These “bundled” plans include Part A, Part B, and usually Part D.
Advantage
Medigap/Medicare
Supplement :
Extra insurance you can buy from a private company that helps pay your share of costs in Original Medicare. Policies are standardized, and in most states named by letters, like Plan G or Plan K. The benefits in each lettered plan are the same, no matter which insurance company sells it.