You are eligible for Medicare benefits if you are 65 or older or are disabled. There are various “parts” of Medicare coverage.

 

Part A: This is your hospital coverage. This is currently available for free to all Medicare beneficiaries. There is a $1676 deductible per year (as of 2025).

Part B: This is your outpatient coverage, meaning doctors, physical therapists, anyone you see outside of the hospital. There is a $257 deductible (as of 2025), and then Part B will cover 80% of all approved visits. There is a monthly premium for Part B benefits, which is generally $185 (as of 2025) but could be more if you have a higher income. Many people opt to pay for this premium through their social security benefits (so it’s taken out of your social security payment prior to going into your bank account).

Part C: This is called Medicare Advantage, where they group the Part A, B, and D benefits into one package (similar to what you see with commercial insurance policies). Very often you will see a low or zero premium payment, but the network of physicians is also very small compared to the traditional Medicare network. Also, please note that you still often pay the Part B premium so technically it’s not free the way it might be advertised.

Part D: This is your prescription plan.

SUPPLEMENTAL: For Part B, you can purchase a supplemental plan that will cover the 20% remaining of the visits (and sometimes even part or all of the deductible). If Medicare covers the visit, then your supplemental will cover the remaining amount. If Medicare denies a visit, then your supplemental will not cover the visit. AARP members often choose a plan offered by AARP (underwritten by United Healthcare), but please know that there are many options available. Probably more than you want to see.

 

If you go through traditional Medicare, you have to purchase Part B and Part D separately. If you don’t purchase a supplemental plan when you first sign up for Part B, it may be difficult to get a supplemental plan in the future. If you don’t sign up for Part D right away, you will be penalized when you do ultimately purchase a policy. Meaning you will pay a higher premium each month.

 

Medicare is confusing, and they are often the forefront of changing the rules (which is actually quite interesting, but waaaay too long of a topic to start here). If you’re confused, speak to the Medicare representatives. Just expect a long wait on the phone, so be prepared with something to do while you’re waiting.

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