Medicare: What You Need to Know
Medicare is a Federally-regulated health insurance program for:
- people age 65 or older,
- people under age 65 with certain disabilities, and
- people of all ages with End-Stage Renal Disease (permanent kidney failure requiring dialysis or a kidney transplant).
Medicare has four parts:
Part A Hospital Insurance - Part A covers inpatient care in hospitals, including critical access hospitals, and skilled nursing facilities (not custodial or long-term care). It also helps cover hospice care and some home health care. Beneficiaries must meet certain conditions to get these benefits. Most people don't pay a premium for Part A because they or a spouse already paid for it through their payroll taxes while working.
Part B Medical Insurance - Part B covers doctors' services and outpatient care. It also covers some other medical services that Part A doesn't cover, such as some of the services of physical and occupational therapists, and some home health care. Part B helps pay for these covered services and supplies when they are medically necessary. Most people pay a monthly premium for Part B.
Part C Medicare Advantage - these private insurance plans "outsource" your Original Medicare Part's A & B to a private company. Frequently, but not always, they include Part D Prescription Drug coverage. More detailed information is provided under the Medicare Advantage Plans link on the right side of this page.
Part D Prescription Drug - these private insurance plans help offset the cost of your medications utilizing combined buying power of millions of beneficiaries under the Part D umbrella. More detailed information is provided under the Part D Prescription Drugs Plans link on the right side of this page.
This information comes from www.cms.gov
By contacting the phone number on this website you will be directed to a licensed agent.