The ABCs of Medicare

Learning about Medicare can feel like looking into a bowl of alphabet soup. But to get the coverage that’s best for you, it’s important to know your choices. And that starts with understanding Medicare’s basic parts - Part A, Part B, Part C, and more.

Here’s a quick and simple review of the parts of Medicare and what each cover.

Part A covers in-patient hospital visits and skilled nursing facilities.

Part B is for medical coverage. This means everything from doctor visits, clinic services, and care you receive as an outpatient.

Part C is another way to describe Medicare Advantage. Part C combines Parts A and B into one plan. Many plans include prescription drug coverage as well. These plans often also offer additional benefits such as dental, vision, and fitness. Part D covers prescription drugs — including many generic and brand-name prescription medications. Each plan creates a list of the drugs that it covers.

Medicare supplement insurance plans, also known as Medigap plans, help pay some of the out-of-pocket costs not paid by Original Medicare (Parts A & B).

Once you have the Medicare ABCs down, you can learn how the parts work together so you can get the coverage you need. The easiest way to know you have the correct coverage and that you've applied correctly is to work with a qualified agent like RCB & Associates, LLC in Michigan.