Medicare 101: Understanding the Medicare Alphabet—ABCDs + more
As a leading provider of health care services, we often receive questions from our patients about Medicare. As an owner of MyTruAdvantage Medicare Advantage Plan, we created this Medicare 101 series to help provide helpful information about options available to you when it comes to your health care coverage.
Understanding the Medicare Alphabet—ABCDs + more
Medicare has different parts that cover different services—and keeping them straight can be confusing. Understanding these parts will help you know what to look for when you’re ready to enroll.
- Medicare Part A (Hospital care coverage)
Medicare Part A covers inpatient hospital stays, skilled nursing, hospice and home health care. Most people are automatically enrolled in Part A when they turn 65 and do not pay a premium because they already paid for it through payroll deductions.
- Medicare Part B (Medical care coverage)
Medicare Part B covers doctor services and outpatient care, medical supplies and preventive services. Most people are eligible to enroll in Part B three months before they turn 65 through 3 months after their 65th birthday. Everyone pays a Part B premium.
NOTE: You should sign up for Part B as soon as you’re eligible, or you could pay penalties later.
Once you turn 65 and sign up for Medicare Parts A & B, you’ll need to select how you want to receive your health care coverage. Here are a few main options to consider.
Original Medicare (Medicare Parts A & B)
One option is to choose Original Medicare, which includes Part A & B, but does not include prescription drug, dental, vision or hearing coverage or provide extra supplemental benefits. And after paying your deductible, it also only covers 80% of your medical costs, leaving you to pay the remaining 20%, does not have an out-of-pocket limit.
Medicare Part C (Medicare Advantage plans)
Another option for your health care coverage is Medicare Advantage. Medicare Advantage plans include everything Original Medicare covers—everything in Part A and Part B—plus additional benefits like dental, vision and hearing coverage, as well as supplemental benefits like over-the-counter allowances, gym memberships and more. And some Medicare Advantage plans, like Deaconess’ own
MyTruAdvantage plan, also include prescription drug coverage and are often referred to as a MAPD plan.
Medicare Part D (prescription drugs coverage)
Part D is coverage for prescription drugs and is NOT included in Original Medicare. To get Part D coverage, you can enroll in a separate prescription drug plan or a Medicare Advantage plan that includes Prescription Drug coverage (often called a MAPD plan).
NOTE: Make sure to sign up for Part D when you are first eligible for Medicare, or you could pay a late enrollment penalty. This penalty is added to your monthly premium once you decide to enroll—and will continue for as long as you have Medicare.
About MyTruAdvantage—Deaconess’ Medicare Advantage plan
Learn more about MyTruAdvantage—Deaconess’ own community-focused Medicare Advantage plan. MyTruAdvantage is a Medicare Advantage plan founded by local doctors and hospitals you know and trust. As an owner of MyTruAdvantage, we are pleased to offer this Indiana-based Medicare Advantage plan to our patients, neighbors and community.
To learn more, visit
www.MyTruAdvantage.com or call (833) 213-6731 (TTY: 711).
While Deaconess is affiliated with MyTruAdvantage, we also participate with a variety of other Medicare Advantage Plans operating within the area.