Medicare basics

What Is Medicare?

Medicare is a federal health insurance program for:
• People age 65 or older
• People under 65 with certain disabilities
• People of any age with End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) (permanent kidney failure requiring dialysis or a kidney transplant)

Medicare Part A (Hospital Insurance)
• Helps cover inpatient care in hospitals
• Helps cover skilled nursing facility, hospice, and home health care

Medicare Part B (Medical Insurance)
• Helps cover doctors’ services, hospital outpatient care, and home health care.
• Helps cover some preventative services to help maintain your health and to keep certain illnesses from getting worse.

Medicare Part C (Medicare Advantage Plans)
• Health plans run by Medicare-approved private insurance companies
• Include Medicare Part A, Part B, and usually other coverage like Medicare Part D (prescription drug coverage)
• Sometimes offer additional coverage for Dental, Vision and Hearing

Medicare Part D (Prescription Drug Coverage)
• A prescription drug option run by Medicare-approved private insurance companies
• Helps cover the cost of prescription drugs
• May help lower your prescription drug costs and help protect against higher costs in the future.

	Did you know?			Need help?
	Did You Know…  That the idea of helping the poor and elderly with medical care was first introduced by Congress in 1945.			MedicareCT is here to assist you and your family in this very important time, Medicare insurance doesn't have to be complicated.. we keep it simple!