Original Medicare
Hospital and medical coverage run by the government, accepted by any doctor who takes Medicare. Most people pair it with a drug plan and a supplement.
Know your Medicare choices
Medicare Coverage for the Life You Have Now
Hospital stays, doctor visits, prescriptions and the monthly premium fit together differently for every person. Start here to see which pieces matter most for you.
Explore CoverageMedicare Advantage
A private plan that bundles hospital, medical and usually drug coverage into a single card, with a network to follow and a yearly cap on what you pay.
Gaps in Original Medicare
- Routine dentalNot included
- Hearing aidsOut of pocket
- Most prescriptionsNeeds Part D
- Custodial careNot included
Before you pick a plan
What to Look At Before You Choose Coverage
A plan that looks cheap at first glance can cost more once you count the doctors you see and the medicines you take. Run through this list first and the better direction usually shows itself.
- Whether every doctor you see accepts the plan
- How each of your prescriptions is priced
- The most you could pay in a rough year
The pieces of Medicare
Eight Topics Every Medicare Choice Touches
Part A, Hospital Care
Inpatient stays, skilled nursing after a stay, hospice and some in home health.
See DetailsPart B, Medical Care
Doctor visits, outpatient testing, preventive screenings and medical equipment.
See DetailsPart C, Advantage Plans
Private bundles that stand in for A and B, usually with drug coverage built in.
See DetailsPart D, Prescriptions
Stand alone drug plans with their own formularies, tiers and pharmacy networks.
See DetailsMedigap Supplements
Lettered plans that pay the deductibles and coinsurance Medicare leaves behind.
See DetailsEnrollment Timing
The windows that open near 65, once a year, and after certain big life changes.
See DetailsPremiums and Costs
What you pay each month, what you pay at each visit, and how the two trade off.
See DetailsHelp Paying for It
Savings programs and Extra Help for people whose income and assets fit the cap.
See Details
Four steps, no rush
From a First Look to a Plan You Keep
Gather Your Details
Your doctors, your medicine list and roughly what care costs you today.
Weigh the Two Paths
Original Medicare with add ons, or an Advantage plan, set side by side.
Test the Fine Details
Check each prescription and doctor against the plans that made the cut.
Enroll and Settle In
Sign up in your window, then note when the next review period opens up.
Notes from visitors
What Visitors Say Once the Choice Is Made
Asked more than once
Four Questions That Come Up Most
No. A stand alone Part D plan sits alongside Original Medicare, so you keep the hospital and medical coverage you already have and add a drug plan on top. What matters is checking that your own medicines appear on that plan's list at a price you can live with.
Medigap works after Original Medicare pays, picking up the deductibles and coinsurance you would otherwise owe. Medicare Advantage changes the way you receive hospital and medical coverage, usually folds in drug coverage, and asks you to use a network in return for extras and a cap on spending.
With Original Medicare you can, as long as they accept Medicare, and most do. Under an Advantage plan it depends on that plan's network, which is why the doctor list is the first thing worth checking before you look at anything else.
Send a message with your doctors, your medicine list and what you spend on care now. I go through the plans available to you and write back with the trade offs in a short note. You decide what happens next, and nothing is submitted on your behalf.
Ready to Get Started With Medicare?
Share your doctors and your medicine list, and I will come back with the trade offs that apply to you.