Medicare is a health insurance program for people age 65 or older, under age 65 with certain disabilties and any age with ESRD. Medicare has four parts:
Part A (Hospital Insurance) - cover inpatient care in hospitals, skilled nursing facilities, hospice care, and home health care.
Part B (Medical Insurance) - covers services like doctors, outpatient care, some preventative services and other medical services that part A does not cover.
Part C (Medicare Advantage Plans) - private insurers that provide Part A, Part B and sometime Part D coverage to people who enroll
Part D (Medicare Prescription Drug Coverage)- Helps cover prescription costs.
Listed below are some common examples of what medicare covers and what you may pay without a medigap or medicare advantage plan.
| Cost - Sharing | Medicare pays in 2008 | What you pay in 2008 |
Part A Hospital Coverage Deductible 1-60 Days 61-90 Days 91-160 Days Blood | Nothing 100% All but $256 per day All but $512 per day All but three pints | $1,024 Nothing $256 per day $512 per day three pints |
Skilled Nursing 1-20 days 21-100 days | 100% All but $128 per day | Nothing $128 per day |
Medicare Part B Deductible Coinsurance Excess Benefits | Nothing 80% Nothing | $135 20% 100% up to Medicare's Limit |
| Foreign Travel | Nothing | 100% |
This is just a partial table of all of the benefits offered under Medicare. Please contact the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid services for a complete description.
If you would like a quote on a medicare supplement or medicare advantage plan to help pay for the costs medicare does not cover please click here.