Medicare is a Federal health insurance program that is designed to serve people 65 or older as well as certain disabled peoples or those with end-renal disease. If you are 65 years of age and are eligible for Social Security and/or Railroad Retirement benefits, then you are automatically enrolled in Medicare. Medicare is made up of two parts, labeled Part A & Part B.

Part A is basically free hospital insurance. This covers hospital stays, nursing facility care, as well as home / hospice care.

Part B is the supplementary part of Medicare coverage & requires a monthly premium to be paid. This monthly premium helps to cover doctors' services, outpatient hospital services, home healthcare etc. (Basically anything not covered by Part A)

There is a Part C (Established by the Balanced Budget Act of 1997), however Part C is not covered under the original Medicare plan. Also referred to as the Medicare + Choice plan, contains managed care plans similar to HMOs, and private plans similar to fee-for-service plans.

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Compare Medicare coverage with < MEDICAID COVERAGE >

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