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Medicare is a federal health insurance program for people age 65 and older, people of any age with permanent kidney failure, and certain 
disabled people under age 65. Medicare is managed by the Health Care Financing Administration, which is part of the Department of Health and Human Services. This article summarizes Medicare covered services.
Medicare allows you to choose the way you receive your benefits. Newly eligible seniors are enrolled automatically in the Original Medicare Plan, which is the traditional payment-per-service arrangement. If you want to stay with the Original Medicare Plan, you don't have to do anything. The basic benefits of this plan are described below.
Starting in 1999, Medicare offers more ways to receive your benefits through other health plan choices. Choices that may be available in your area include Medicare Managed Care Plans, such as Health Maintenance Organizations, Preferred Provider Organizations, or Provider Sponsored Organizations. In addition, Private Fee-For-Service Plans and Medicare Medical Savings Account Plans may be available in your area. One of the new health plan choices might be right for you. The choice is yours. No matter what you decide, you are still in the Medicare program.
Your copy of Medicare & You will explain the Original Medicare Plan and other Medicare health plans in detail. It also will explain how to enroll in other health plan options, if you are interested. If you don't have a computer, your local public library or senior center may be able to help you find this information.
All Medicare health plans must provide at least the basic Medicare covered services.
Medicare hospital insurance helps pay for necessary medical care and services furnished by Medicare-certified hospitals, skilled nursing facilities, home health agencies, and hospices.
The number of days that Medicare covers care in hospitals and skilled nursing facilities is measured in benefit periods. A benefit period begins on the first day you receive services as a patient in a hospital or skilled nursing facility and ends after you have been out of the hospital or skilled nursing facility and have not received skilled care in any other facility for 60 days in a row. There is no limit to the number of benefit periods you can have.
Medicare Part A helps pay for up to 90 days of inpatient hospital care in each benefit period. Covered services include your semi-private room and meals, general nursing services, operating and recovery room costs, intensive care, drugs, laboratory tests, X-rays, and all other necessary medical services and supplies.
You may need inpatient skilled nursing or rehabilitation services after a hospital stay. If you meet certain conditions, Part A helps pay for up to 100 days in a participating skilled nursing facility in each benefit period. Medicare pays all approved charges for the first 20 days; you pay a coinsurance amount for days 21 through 100. Covered services include your semi-private room and meals, skilled nursing services, rehabilitation services, drugs, and medical supplies.
If you meet certain conditions, Medicare pays the full approved cost of covered home health care services. This includes part-time or intermittent skilled nursing services prescribed by a physician for treatment or rehabilitation of homebound patients. The only amount you pay for home health care is a 20 percent coinsurance charge for medical equipment such as a wheelchair or walker.
Medicare helps pay for hospice care for terminally ill beneficiaries who select the hospice care benefit. There are no deductibles, but you pay limited costs for drugs and inpatient respite care. For more information, consult the article Hospice Benefits from Medicare.
Medical Insurance (Part B)Medicare Part B helps pay for doctor's services, outpatient hospital services (including emergency room visits), ambulance transportation, diagnostic tests, laboratory services, some preventive care like mammography and Pap smear screening, outpatient therapy services, durable medical equipment and supplies, and a variety of other health services. Part B also pays for home health care services for which Part A does not pay.
Medicare Part B pays 80 percent of approved charges for most covered services. You are responsible for paying a $100 deductible per calendar year and the remaining 20 percent of the Medicare approved charge. You will have to pay limited additional charges if the doctor who cares for you does not accept assignment. This means the doctor does not agree to accept the Medicare approved charge for services.
Medicare Part A does not pay for convenience items such as telephones and televisions provided by hospitals or skilled nursing facilities, private rooms (unless medically necessary), or private duty nurses.
The only type of nursing home care Medicare pays for is skilled nursing facility care for rehabilitation, such as recovery time after a hospital discharge. Medicare does not pay if you need only custodial services (help with daily living activities like bathing, eating or getting dressed).
Medicare Part B usually does not pay for most prescription drugs, routine physical examinations, or services not related to treatment of illness or injury. Part B does not pay for dental care or dentures, cosmetic surgery, routine foot care, hearing aids, eye examinations, or eyeglasses.
Except for certain limited cases in Canada and Mexico, Medicare does not pay for treatment outside the United States.
This is the traditional payment-per-service arrangement. Newly eligible seniors are enrolled automatically in this option. This plan includes all Medicare covered services listed above.
Private insurance organizations called Medicare carriers and fiscal intermediaries handle claims under the Original Medicare Plan. Carriers handle medical insurance (Part B) claims. Fiscal intermediaries handle all hospital insurance (Part A) claims. Medicare & You gives more information about how to contact your carrier or fiscal intermediary. The Social Security Administration does not handle claims for Medicare payment.
Many private insurance companies sell Medicare Supplemental Insurance Policies (Medigap or Medicare SELECT) to help fill the coverage gaps in the Original Medicare Plan. If you remain in the Original Medicare Plan, you may want to consider buying one of these 10 standard policies for extra benefits. These policies help pay Medicare's coinsurance amounts and deductibles, and other out-of-pocket costs for health care.
The federal government does not sell these types of policies. You should read the publication called Guide to Health Insurance for People With Medicare before you buy a supplemental policy. For a free copy, call the Medicare hotline at 1-800-638-6833. Your state insurance department (See the Neighborhood Networks) also has information available to help you. ElderCare Online’s Insurance Coverage Channel includes several informative articles on the range of insurance coverage options.
Do not delay. When you first enroll in Part B at age 65 or older, you have a 6-month Medigap open enrollment period. During that time your health status cannot be used as a reason either to refuse you a policy or to charge you more than all other open enrollment applicants. (The insurer may make you wait up to 6 months for coverage of a pre-existing condition.) If you try to enroll later, you may be denied a policy or charged a higher rate.
At age 65, Medigap open enrollment is available to beneficiaries who are enrolled in Part B. If you are under age 65, contact your state insurance department for information about open enrollment.
In addition to the plans explained above, you may have other Medicare health plan choices available to you. To be eligible for these other health plan choices, you must:
The following types of plans may be options for you:
Other Insurance Sometimes Pays Before Medicare
Other Insurance Sometimes Pays Before Medicare
Other Insurance Sometimes Pays Before Medicare
Other Insurance Sometimes Pays Before Medicare
Other Insurance Sometimes Pays Before Medicare
Other Insurance Sometimes Pays Before Medicare
Other Insurance Sometimes Pays Before Medicare
Other Insurance Sometimes Pays Before Medicare
Other Insurance Sometimes Pays Before Medicare
Other Insurance Sometimes Pays Before Medicare
