Original Medicare

Original Medicare is a federal health insurance program that is available to people who are 65 or older, as well as to people with certain disabilities or chronic conditions. The program is made up of two parts: Part A and Part B.

Part A covers inpatient hospital care, skilled nursing facility care, hospice care, and home health care. Part B covers doctor visits, outpatient care, preventive services, and medical equipment and supplies.

Benefits of Original Medicare

One of the main benefits of Original Medicare is that it provides comprehensive healthcare coverage. With Part A, you can receive coverage for hospital stays, which can be a major expense if you were to pay out-of-pocket. Part B can help cover the costs of doctor visits, diagnostic tests, and other outpatient services.

Another advantage of Original Medicare is that it provides access to a broad network of healthcare providers. With the exception of a few services, you can see any doctor or healthcare provider who accepts Medicare.

Costs of Original Medicare

While Original Medicare provides comprehensive coverage, it does come with some out-of-pocket costs. For example, there are deductibles, copayments, and coinsurance that you will need to pay for certain services.

Part A has a deductible of $1,484 per benefit period in 2021, while Part B has a deductible of $203 per year. After you meet your deductible, you will typically pay 20% of the Medicare-approved amount for most services covered by Part B.

To help cover these out-of-pocket costs, you may want to consider enrolling in a Medicare Supplement (Medigap) plan or a Medicare Advantage plan.

Coverage of Original Mediare

Original Medicare provides coverage for a wide range of healthcare services, including: