Basics of Medicare | Johns Hopkins Advantage MD

Understanding Medicare: The ABCs (and D)

There are four parts of Medicare, each covering a different aspect of your health care. Original Medicare consists of Parts A and B and covers about 80% of the average person’s costs for covered medical expenses. You’re responsible to pay the rest.

Part

A

+

Part

B

Basic Coverage with Original Medicare offers you the following:

Medicare Parts A and B provide essential coverage for hospital and outpatient care, offering broad protection, but with some out-of-pocket costs.

Part A: Hospital Services

Helps cover inpatient hospital and nursing home care, home health care, skilled nursing facility care and hospice.

You must be at least age 65, a U.S. citizen or permanent resident and you or your spouse must have paid into Social Security for at least 10 years. While Part A is free for most, you will have deductibles and co-insurance costs to cover.

Part A Covers:

Inpatient Hospital Care
Nursing Home Care
Hospice Care
Home Health Care
Skilled Nursing Care

Part B: Physician & Outpatient Services

Helps cover doctor visits, lab tests, outpatient services and outpatient surgery, and some medical supplies.

Eligibility is the same as Part A. Medicare charges a monthly premium for Part B that you must continue to pay, and you will have deductibles and co-insurance costs to cover. A late enrollment penalty may apply if you choose to enroll after your Initial Enrollment Period.

Part B Covers:

Doctor Visits
Lab Tests
Outpatient Services
Outpatient Surgery
Some Medical Supplies

Part

C

+

Part

D

Options beyond Original Medicare:

Medicare Advantage (Part C) and Prescription Drug Plans (Part D) offer additional enhanced coverage and tailored benefits to help manage your health care costs.

Part C: Medicare Advantage Plans

A Medicare Advantage plan is not the same thing as a Medicare Supplement plan. Advantage plans cover everything that Medicare Part A and Part B do, as well as the expenses that Part A and Part B don’t.

Medicare Advantage plans often include extra benefits. For example, Advantage MD includes prescription drugs, vision, hearing, dental and fitness programs. These plans are offered by private insurance companies contracted by Medicare. To enroll, you must have Original Medicare (Parts A and B) and live within the plan’s service area.

Our service area/ Eligible counties

Part C Covers:

Prescription Drugs
Vision Care
Hearing Care
Dental Care
Fitness Programs

Part D: Stand-alone Prescription Drug Plans

Helps cover some of your prescription drug costs. These plans are offered by private insurance companies who are contracted by Medicare — when you have Part D, you pay a second monthly premium in addition to Medicare. To enroll, you must be enrolled in Original Medicare and live within the plan’s service area. A late enrollment penalty may apply if you choose to enroll after your Initial Enrollment Period.

Part D Covers:

Prescription Drugs

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If you choose to provide us with personal information by sending an email, or by filling out a form with your personal information and submitting it through our Web site, we use that information to respond to your message and to help us provide you with information or material that you request. We do not give, share, sell, or transfer any personal information to a third party unless required by law.

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The basics of Medicare coverage

Understanding Medicare: The ABCs (and D)

Basic Coverage with Original Medicare offers you the following:

Part A: Hospital Services

Part A Covers:

Part B: Physician & Outpatient Services

Part B Covers:

Options beyond Original Medicare:

Part C: Medicare Advantage Plans

Part C Covers:

Part D: Stand-alone Prescription Drug Plans

Part D Covers:

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