Understand Medicare in 5 Minutes
Six short sections. Plain words. No sales pitch.
What Medicare Is
Medicare is health insurance from the federal government.
Most people get it at age 65.
You make a few choices when you sign up. Those choices shape your doctors, your bills, and your options for years. This page explains them.
The Four Parts
Medicare comes in parts. Each part has a letter.
Part A — Hospital
Covers hospital stays. Free for most people.
Pays most of the bill — you pay a deductible first.
Part B — Doctors
Covers doctor visits and tests. Has a monthly premium.
Pays about 80% of the bill. You pay the other 20%.
Part D — Prescription drugs
Covers your medications. A separate plan you add.
Pays most drug costs — you pay copays, with a yearly cap.
Part C — Medicare Advantage
A private plan that bundles A, B, and usually D.
A different way to receive your Medicare — the next section.
The One Big Choice
Original Medicare leaves a gap: your share of every bill, with no yearly limit. That gap is a real risk to your savings.
There are two ways to solve it. Choosing between them is the biggest Medicare decision you will make.
Original Medicare + Medigap
- See any doctor in the country who takes Medicare.
- A Medigap plan fills the gaps, so your bills stay small and predictable.
- Costs more each month — often $80 to $150 or higher.
- You add a separate Part D plan for drugs.
Medicare Advantage
- Low or $0 monthly premium.
- Caps what you pay each year.
- Often includes extras like dental, vision, and hearing.
- You use the plan's network of doctors, and some care needs approval first.
- The plan can change its costs, network, and benefits every year.
Torn between them? How to choose — in 5 minutes.
What It Costs
- Part A is free for most people. You already paid for it through payroll taxes while you worked.
- Part B is about $203 a month in 2026. Most people pay this standard amount — higher incomes pay more.
- Medigap is often $80 to $150 a month or more. The price depends on plan type, your age, and where you live.
- Medicare Advantage is low or $0 a month on top of your Part B premium. Instead, you pay copays as you go, up to the plan's yearly cap.
- A drug plan is usually under $50 a month, plus copays at the pharmacy. Most Advantage plans include one at no extra cost.
What Medicare Does NOT Cover
This surprises almost everyone. Original Medicare does not pay for:
- Most dental care
- Most vision care and eyeglasses
- Hearing aids
- Long-term care, like a nursing home stay
Many Advantage plans include some of these. For everything else, you buy separate coverage or pay out of pocket.
Signing Up for Parts A and B
You get one 7-month window to sign up for Parts A and B. It is built around your 65th birthday:
3 months
before your birthday month
your birthday month
3 months
after your birthday month
Miss it without other coverage, and you can pay a penalty for the rest of your life. Don't miss it.
How? If you already get Social Security checks, you are enrolled automatically — your card comes in the mail. If not, sign up at SSA.gov or your local Social Security office.
Turning 65 this year? Print the month-by-month checklist.
Signed Up? Now the Real Decisions.
Parts A and B are the starting point, not the finish line. Next you choose what completes your coverage: Medigap or Medicare Advantage, plus a drug plan. That is the part an advisor helps with.
Keep Going
You have the big picture. Each next step takes about 5 minutes too.
Prefer official sources? Everything here can be verified at Medicare.gov or in the government's free "Medicare & You" handbook.
About the author
Eric Ullrich
Founder & Licensed Medicare Advisor, Candor Medicare
Eric founded Candor Medicare to fix what he watched go wrong in the industry — advisors pushing plans that paid them more instead of plans that fit the person in front of them. He works directly with Medicare beneficiaries across Florida and California, and takes only CMS-capped commissions so his recommendations are never influenced by which carrier pays the highest override.
Whenever you're ready, we're here.
No pressure, no pitch. Just an advocate in your corner.