Parts of Medicare

Understanding the Parts of Medicare

There are 4 parts of Medicare. These include Part A, B, C, and D:

• Part A – covers hospital care, providing you with affordable inpatient care. It also covers post-hospital care, such as skilled nursing facility care, hospice care, and home health care. Part A, however, does not cover long-term care.
• Part B – Medical Insurance: Covers 80% of the cost of doctor’s visits, surgeries, lab tests, x-rays, ambulatory services, outpatient care, home health, hospital beds, wheelchairs, walkers, blood supplies, and medical supplies. It may also cover clinical research, mental health services, second opinions before surgery and limited outpatient prescription drugs. Coverage must be determined medically necessary or preventive.
• Part C – Medicare Advantage Plans: Optional private plans that replace Part A & Part B but are required to carry the same benefits, if not more.
• Part D – Prescription drug coverage: Optional drug coverage for those with Part A & Part B. For those who’ve enrolled in an Advantage Plan, they must choose a plan with built-in prescription drug coverage; they cannot apply for Part D coverage separately.