Medicare Part A and Part B—known together as Original Medicare—form the foundation of your healthcare coverage once you turn 65 or qualify through disability. These two parts work together to cover many of your essential medical needs.

 

Medicare Part A (Hospital Insurance) helps cover inpatient care, including hospital stays, skilled nursing facility care, hospice services, and some home health care. Most people don’t pay a premium for Part A if they (or their spouse) worked and paid Medicare taxes for at least 10 years.

 

Medicare Part B (Medical Insurance) covers your outpatient care, such as doctor visits, preventive services (like screenings and vaccines), lab tests, outpatient procedures, and durable medical equipment (like walkers or wheelchairs).

 

Part B comes with a monthly premium. For most people, this amount is around $148 per month (this is the standard rate, though it can be higher if your income exceeds certain thresholds). In addition to the premium, you may pay deductibles and coinsurance for services.

 

Together, Parts A and B give you access to doctors and hospitals across the country that accept Medicare. However, keep in mind that Original Medicare doesn’t cover everything—you’d need to look into extra coverage for prescription drugs (Part D) or other services like dental, vision, and hearing. This is where Medicare Advantage Plans, Medicare Supplement Plans, and Hospital Indemnity Plans, help to fill in the gaps that original medicare does not coveer.