The Four Parts of Medicare

Medicare has four different parts. Many people new to Medicare find this to be overwhelming and confusing. The first thing to remember is that there are four Parts, not Plans. Beware! Some agents do not want you to know what the parts of Medicare are. How can you make good choices without educating yourself?

The Medicare Part Breakdown

Part A

Part B

Part C

Part D

Part A of Medicare is your hospital insurance. This helps you cover common hospital expenses for things such as the cost of a semi-private room for stays, hospice, home health care, and even skilled nursing facility stays. This part of Medicare also covers blood transfusions requiring more than 3 pints of blood.

Part B of Medicare is for outpatient services that are deemed medically necessary. Medicare Part B includes coverage for services like doctor office visits, lab testing, diagnostic imaging, preventive care, surgeries, ambulance rides, chemotherapy and radiation, and extensive dialysis care.

Part D is a federally created program to help you lower the cost of your retail prescription drugs. Unlike Medicare Part A & B, you will not enroll in Part D through the Social Security office. Instead, you will select one of the Part D plans available in your county from private insurance carriers.

Part C is unlike the other parts of Medicare, which cover specific medical benefits; Medicare Part C is just another name for private Medicare insurance. The Balanced Budget Act of 1997 created Part C, which is now referred to as Medicare Advantage.