Medicare Part A and Part B, also known as Original Medicare or Traditional Medicare, cover a large portion of your medical expenses after you turn age 65. Part A (hospital insurance) helps pay for inpatient hospital stays, stays in skilled nursing facilities, surgery, hospice care and even some home health care. Part B (medical insurance) helps pay for doctors' visits, outpatient care, some preventive services, and some medical equipment and supplies. Most folks can start signing up for Medicare three months before the month they turn 65.
It's important to understand that Medicare Part A and Part B leave some pretty significant gaps in your health-care coverage. This is why increasing numbers of Medicare beneficiaries choose to go with Medicare Advantage, which purports to fill some of those gaps.
