Speak with a Licensed Insurance Agent (866) 947-8784 Home Medicare Simplified Supplement Plans Advantage Plans Prescription Drug Plans Home > Medicare Simplified: Choosing the Best Medicare Options for Your Situation and Needs Find a Medicare Plan Type of Insurance Medicare Plans Health Insurance Enter Your Zipcode Medicare Simplified How Medicare Works and a Quick Review of the Basics Most American citizens and legal residents become eligible for Medicare health coverage when they turn 65 years old. (There is some talk that, as part of various "reform" plans, the eligibility age may rise to 67 or 68 in coming years—but it's likely that any such increase will be phased in so that anyone who's already eligible can stay in the system.) The Initial Enrollment Period for Medicare actually starts three months before you turn 65, so you can start applying for and setting up your coverage when you're 64 and nine months. And you should do that.Medicare is made up of four component Parts. Specifically: Part A (Hospital Insurance) pays for part of any: inpatient hospital care, critical access hospitals, skilled nursing facility care, some home health care, hospice care. Part B (Medical Services Insurance) pays for part of any: doctor's services, ambulance services, outpatient hospital care, x-rays and laboratory tests, durable medical equipment and supplies, some home health care, certain preventive care, other outpatient services, other medical services Part A doesn't cover, such as physical and occupational therapy Taken together, Parts A and B make up "traditional" Medicare coverage. And they operate like an indemnity-style health insurance policy. They are flexible, giving you broad choice in the doctors and hospitals you use, but they require you to pay substantial amounts out of your own pocket. Part C— it's also called the Medicare Advantage program—is, essentially, a managed-care option. It puts various restrictions on the providers and hospitals you can choose but generally covers all (or nearly all) of the costs. Part C includes several sub-category options: Medicare Health Maintenance Organizations (HMOs). In these plans, you must get your care from primary care doctors, specialists or hospitals on the HMO's list of network providers, except in emergencies. Medicare Preferred Provider Organization (PPO) Plans. In most of these plans, your share of plan costs is lower when you use doctors, specialists and hospitals that are "in network," which means they contracted to accept the PPO fee schedule in exchange for a higher volume of patients. Using out-of-network providers is allowed but will cost you more out-of-pocket. The PPO option is designed especially for use in rural areas—which have been historically underserved by Medicare providers and facilities. Medicare Special Needs Plans (SNPs). These plans generally limit enrollment to people in certain long-term care facilities (like nursing homes); people eligible for both Medicare and Medicaid; or those with certain chronic or disabling conditions. Medicare Private Fee-for-Service Plans (PFFSPs), sometimes called Point of Service (POS) Plans. In these plans, you may go to any Medicare-approved primary care doctor, specialist or hospital that will accept the terms of the private plan's payment. Medicare Medical Savings Account (MSA) Plans. These plans include a high deductible plan that will not begin to pay benefits until the high annual deductible is met. They also include a medical savings account into which Medicare will deposit money for you to use to pay your health care costs. Medicare MSA Plans do not cover prescription drugs—you have to buy that coverage separately. Part D is the Medicare Outpatient Prescription Drug Coverage. It's a fairly new coverage, begun in 2006, and is sold through private-sector insurance companies rather than directly by the government. It comes with a number of limitations and qualifications that we'll consider below. About Medicare Medicare Simplified How to Choose What it Doesn't Cover Paying for Medicare Types of Plans Supplement Plans Advantage Plans Prescription Drug Plans Database Partners Medicare.gov CMS.gov MCD.gov About Us Contact Us Privacy Policy Legal Info Affiliates Agents .st0{fill:url(#SVGID_1_);} .st1{fill:url(#SVGID_2_);} .st2{fill:#333333;} .st3{fill:#207CCA;} We are not affiliated with any plan or endorsed by any government entity or agency. We connect individuals with insurance providers and other affiliates (collectively, “Partners”) to give you, the consumer, an opportunity to get information about insurance and connect with licensed insurance agents. By completing the quotes form or calling the number listed above, you will be directed to a Partner that can connect you to an appropriately licensed insurance agent who can answer your questions and discuss plan options. This site is operated in partnership with Apollo Interactive Insurance Solutions, LLC, a licensed insurance agency, operating through its designated agent, Garegin Baghdasaryan, only where licensed and appointed. License numbers are available upon request and are provided where required by law. Garegin Baghdasaryan's residence state is CA, where his license # is 4127116. License information can be found here. Products and services are provided exclusively by our partners, but not all offer the same plans or options. Possible options that may be offered include, but are not limited to, ACA-Qualified Plans, Medicare Plans, Short Term Plans, Christian/Health Sharing Plans, and Fixed Indemnity Plans. Descriptions are for informational purposes only and subject to change. We encourage you to shop around and explore all of your options. We are not affiliated with or endorsed by any government entity or agency. By using this site, you acknowledge that you have read and agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms & Conditions. Copyright ©2021 Medicare Providers. All rights reserved. Site Map | Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions | Do Not Sell My Personal Information