What does Medicare Part A cover?

Medicare Part A covers inpatient hospital stays, skilled nursing facility care (up to 100 days after a qualifying hospital stay), hospice care, and some home health services. Most people pay no premium for Part A if they worked and paid Medicare taxes for at least 10 years.

What does Medicare Part B cover?

Medicare Part B covers doctor visits, outpatient care, preventive services, durable medical equipment, and mental health services. Most people pay a monthly premium for Part B. Higher-income beneficiaries may pay more through IRMAA.

What are the gaps in Original Medicare Parts A and B?

Original Medicare does not cover prescription drugs, routine dental, vision, or hearing care, long-term custodial nursing home care, or most care outside the US. It also leaves deductibles, copays, and coinsurance that can add up significantly.

When should I enroll in Medicare Parts A and B?

Your Initial Enrollment Period begins 3 months before the month you turn 65 and ends 3 months after. Delaying Part B enrollment without qualifying coverage can result in a permanent late enrollment penalty.

What does Medicare Part A cover?

Medicare Part A covers inpatient hospital stays, skilled nursing facility care (up to 100 days after a qualifying hospital stay), hospice care, and some home health services. Most people pay no premium for Part A if they worked and paid Medicare taxes for at least 10 years.

What does Medicare Part B cover?

Medicare Part B covers doctor visits, outpatient care, preventive services, durable medical equipment, and mental health services. Most people pay a monthly premium for Part B. Higher-income beneficiaries may pay more through IRMAA.

What are the gaps in Original Medicare Parts A and B?

Original Medicare does not cover prescription drugs, routine dental, vision, or hearing care, long-term custodial nursing home care, or most care outside the US. It also leaves deductibles, copays, and coinsurance that can add up significantly. A Medicare Supplement (Medigap) plan or Medicare Advantage plan can help fill these gaps.

When should I enroll in Medicare Parts A and B?

Your Initial Enrollment Period begins 3 months before the month you turn 65 and ends 3 months after. Delaying Part B enrollment without qualifying coverage (such as employer group health insurance) can result in a permanent late enrollment penalty.

Medicare Parts A, B, C, D

Understanding Original Medicare — Parts A, B, C, D

Medicare Parts A and B form the foundation of your Medicare coverage. Part A covers hospital care and Part B covers medical services. Understanding what each part covers — and what it costs — is the first step in building a complete Medicare plan.

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Part A

Medicare Part A — Hospital Insurance

Part A covers inpatient hospital stays, skilled nursing facility care, hospice care, and some home health services. Most people do not pay a premium for Part A if they or their spouse worked and paid Medicare taxes for at least 10 years.

Inpatient hospital stays
Covers semi-private rooms, meals, general nursing, and hospital services during an inpatient admission.
Skilled nursing facility (SNF) care
Covers up to 100 days of skilled nursing care following a qualifying 3-day hospital stay.
Hospice care
Covers comfort care for people with a terminal illness who choose to stop curative treatment.
Home health services
Covers medically necessary skilled nursing care and therapy services at home on a part-time basis.

Part B

Medicare Part B — Medical Insurance

Part B covers doctor visits, outpatient care, preventive services, and medically necessary supplies. Most people pay a monthly premium for Part B. The standard premium in 2026 is set by Medicare and may be higher for higher-income beneficiaries (IRMAA).

Doctor and specialist visits
Covers medically necessary services from physicians, surgeons, and specialists.
Outpatient care and surgery
Covers services received in hospital outpatient departments, ambulatory surgical centers, and clinics.
Preventive services
Covers annual wellness visits, screenings for cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and many vaccines at no cost.
Durable medical equipment (DME)
Covers wheelchairs, walkers, oxygen equipment, and other medically necessary equipment for home use.
Mental health services
Covers outpatient mental health visits, psychotherapy, and psychiatric evaluations.

What Original Medicare does not cover

Parts A and B leave important gaps. Understanding these gaps helps you decide whether a Medicare Supplement (Medigap) plan, Medicare Advantage plan, or standalone Part D plan is right for you.

Prescription drugs (covered by Part D or Medicare Advantage)
Routine dental, vision, and hearing care
Long-term custodial care in a nursing home
Most care received outside the United States
Deductibles, copays, and coinsurance (can be covered by Medigap)

A Medicare Supplement (Medigap) plan can cover most of these gaps — including deductibles and coinsurance — so you know exactly what you'll pay.

Compare Medigap Plan G and Plan N

Ready to build on your Part A and B foundation?

Once you have Original Medicare, the next step is deciding how to fill the gaps. We can walk you through your options — Medigap, Medicare Advantage, and Part D — so you can choose with confidence.