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Basics

• Summary
• Start Here
• Prevention and Risk Factors

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• Related Issues

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• Health Check Tools

Research

• Journal Articles

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For You

• Patient Handouts

Summary

Medicare is the U.S. government's health insurance program for people age 65 or older. Some people under age 65 can qualify for Medicare, too. They include those with disabilities, permanent kidney failure, or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

Medicare helps with the cost of health care. It does not cover all medical expenses or the cost of most long-term care. The program has four parts:

• Part A is hospital insurance
• Part B helps pay for medical services that Part A doesn't cover
• Part C is called Medicare Advantage. If you have Parts A and B, you can choose this option to receive all of your health care through a provider organization, like an HMO.
• Part D is prescription drug coverage. It helps pay for some medicines.

Start Here

• Medicare (Social Security Administration) - PDF Also in Spanish
• Medicare and You (Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services) - PDF Also in Spanish
• What Is Medicare? (Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services) Also in Spanish
• What Medicare Covers (Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services) Also in Spanish
• Your Medicare Benefits (Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services) - PDF

Prevention and Risk Factors

• Preventive Visit and Yearly Wellness Exams (Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services) Also in Spanish

Related Issues

• Claims and Appeals (Medicare) (Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services) Also in Spanish
• Costs in the coverage gap (Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services) Also in Spanish
• Drug Coverage (Part D) (Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services) Also in Spanish
• Drug Plan Coverage Rules (Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services)
• Inpatient hospital care (Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services) Also in Spanish
• Medicare and Other Health Benefits: Your Guide to Who Pays First (Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services) - PDF
• Medicare Hospice Benefits (Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services) - PDF Also in Spanish
• Your Medicare Coverage: Durable Medical Equipment (DME) Coverage (Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services)
• Your Medicare Coverage: Hyperbaric Oxygen (HBO) Therapy (Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services)

Health Check Tools

• Eligibility and Premium Calculator (Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services)

Journal Articles References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)

• Article: Medicare beneficiary panel characteristics associated with high Part D biologic disease-modifying...
• Article: The changing patterns of comorbidities associated with human immunodeficiency virus infection,...
• Article: Association of a Geriatric Emergency Department Innovation Program With Cost Outcomes...
• Medicare -- see more articles

Find an Expert

• Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
• Find and Compare Health Care Providers (Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services) Also in Spanish
• Medicare (Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services) Also in Spanish
• Medicare: Talk to Someone (Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services)

Patient Handouts

• Understanding Medicare (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish