Medicare Fácil is a health insurance agency. We are nor affiliated with the government or Federal Medicare Program.

Join the team / Free consultation / Attend a Medicare Event

EASY MEDICARE

The parts of Medicare

ABCD

The A, B, C and D of Medicare

Insurance Reading time: 3 min

Part A (Hospital Insurance):

Helps cover inpatient hospital care, skilled nursing facility care, hospice care, and home health care.

Part B (Medical Insurance):

Helps cover:

  • Services of physicians and other health care providers
  • Ambulatory care
  • home health care
  • Durable medical equipment (such as wheelchairs, walkers, hospital beds, and other equipment)
  • Many preventive services (such as screenings, shots or vaccinations, and annual “wellness” visits)

Part D (drug coverage):

Helps cover the cost of prescription drugs (including many recommended shots or vaccinations). 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.

Medicare Supplement Insurance (Medigap):

Additional insurance that you can buy from a private company that helps pay your share of the costs in Original Medicare. Policies are standardized and in most states are named with letters, such as Plan G or Plan K. The benefits in each lettered plan are the same, no matter which insurance company sells it.

Your Medicare Options

When you first sign up for Medicare and during certain times of the year, you can choose how to get your Medicare coverage. There are 2 main ways:

Original Medicare

  • Original Medicare includes Part A and Part B.
  • You can join a separate Medicare drug plan to get Medicare drug coverage (Part D).
  • You can use any doctor or hospital that accepts Medicare, anywhere in the US.
  • To help pay your out-of-pocket costs in Original Medicare (like your 20% coinsurance), you can also buy supplemental coverage, like Medicare Supplement Insurance (Medigap), or get coverage from a former employer or union, or Medicaid.

Medicare Advantage (also known as Part C)

  • 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.
  • In most cases, you must use doctors who are in the plan’s network.
  • Plans may have lower out-of-pocket costs than Original Medicare.
  • Plans may offer some extra benefits that Original Medicare doesn’t cover, like dental, vision, and hearing services.

101