Medicare Overview

Part A (Hospital Insurance) - cover inpatient care in hospitals, skilled nursing facilities, hospice care, and home health care.

Part B (Medical Insurance) - covers services like doctors, outpatient care, some preventative services and other medical services that part A does not cover.

Part C (Medicare Advantage Plans) - private insurers that provide Part A, Part B and sometime Part D coverage to people who enroll

Part D (Medicare Prescription Drug Coverage)- Helps cover prescription costs.

Listed below are some common examples of what medicare covers and what you may pay without a medigap or medicare advantage plan.

Cost - Sharing	Medicare pays in 2008	What you pay in 2008
Part A HospitalCoverage Deductible1-60 Days61-90 Days91-160 DaysBlood	Nothing 100% All but $256 per day All but $512 per day All but three pints	$1,024Nothing$256 per day$512 per daythree pints
Skilled Nursing1-20 days21-100 days	100% All but $128 per day	Nothing$128 per day
Medicare Part BDeductibleCoinsuranceExcess Benefits	Nothing 80% Nothing	$13520%100% up to Medicare’s Limit
Foreign Travel	Nothing	100%

This is just a partial table of all of the benefits offered under Medicare. Please contact the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid services for a complete description.