Original Medicare is made up of two parts: Medicare Part A and Medicare Part B. It is available to people aged 65 or older and people under 65 who meet specific criteria. There are other parts to Medicare besides Part A and B, but these two parts are what new Medicare enrollees will need to enroll in first before they can opt for a Part C or Medicare Supplement plan. As for Part D, you’ll only need to be enrolled in at least Part A to get its coverage.
As a rule of thumb for enrolling in health insurance, though, it is important to have an understanding of the type of coverage you will get with a specific plan. The same falls true for Original Medicare.
So, what does it cover?
Original Medicare Coverage
Since Original Medicare is divided into two parts, you will have coverage that comes from both Part A and Part B. Of course, each part provides different coverage for different services.
Part A is considered hospital insurance. It will provide coverage for your inpatient hospital care, hospice care, home health care, and skilled nursing facility care. It will also provide coverage for lab tests, surgeries, semi-private rooms, meals, and prescriptions given to you as part of your inpatient treatment.
Part B is considered medical insurance. It will provide coverage for your doctor and healthcare provider services, as well as your outpatient care. It will also cover medically necessary services, preventive services, home healthcare, durable medical equipment, mental health services, ambulance services, and prescriptions given to you as part of your outpatient treatment.
Coverage Not Provided By Original Medicare
Original Medicare provides a great deal of coverage that can be suitable for many seniors, which is great! But, it doesn’t cover everything, and that’s important to understand so you can decide if you will need extra coverage or not.
Original Medicare will not provide coverage for:
- Custodial care, also known as long-term care
- Prescription drug coverage, but you can always add on a Part D plan for this coverage
- Dental, vision, and hearing care, but adding on a Medicare Advantage plan could potentially provide you with this coverage
- Acupuncture
- Routine foot care
- Cosmetic surgeries
You will also need to cover out-of-pocket costs. Usually, Medicare covers 80% of the costs while you cover the remaining 20%, which includes deductibles, copayments, or coinsurance. However, you could add on a Medicare Supplement plan which will provide coverage for most, if not all, of the out-of-pocket costs.
Get Original Medicare Today
At Senior Savings USA, we provide you with all the information and resources you need to make sure you get the Medicare coverage you deserve. Contact us today at 800-409-3808 for more information.
