Frequently Asked Questions

 Medicare is a federal health insurance program for people age 65 and older, and for certain younger individuals with disabilities. It includes different parts—Part A (hospital insurance), Part B (medical insurance), Part C (Medicare Advantage), and Part D (prescription drug coverage).

You can enroll during your Initial Enrollment Period (IEP)—a 7-month window that starts 3 months before the month you turn 65. There are also General, Special, and Open Enrollment Periods depending on your situation.

Yes. You can switch Prescription Drug plans and Medicare Advantage plans during the Medicare Annual Enrollment Period (October 15 – December 7) or switch your Medicare Advantage plan during the Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period (January 1 – March 31).

Original Medicare includes Part A and Part B, and is provided by the federal government. Medicare Advantage (Part C) is offered by private insurance companies and often includes additional benefits like dental, vision, hearing, and prescription drug coverage.

Medicare Part A is a component of Original Medicare that helps cover inpatient hospital care, skilled nursing facility (SNF) care, hospice services, and limited home health care. It’s often referred to as hospital insurance.

While Part A covers many essential services, it comes with deductibles and potential out-of-pocket costs. That’s why many beneficiaries choose to enroll in a Medicare Supplement (Medigap) plan or a Medicare Advantage plan to help cover expenses that Part A doesn’t fully pay for.

Medicare Part B is a key part of Original Medicare that helps cover outpatient medical services, including doctor visits, preventive care, ambulance services, durable medical equipment (DME), and certain prescription drugs administered by a physician.

Part B typically pays 80% of approved medical costs, leaving you responsible for the remaining 20%—with no annual out-of-pocket limit. Because of this, many people choose to add a Medicare Supplement plan (Medigap) or enroll in a Medicare Advantage plan to help reduce or eliminate those out-of-pocket expenses.

Medigap plans help cover out-of-pocket costs like copayments, coinsurance, and deductibles not paid by Original Medicare. These plans are sold by private insurers and work alongside Parts A and B.

Not under Original Medicare (Parts A and B). You need to enroll in a Medicare Part D plan or a Medicare Advantage plan that includes drug coverage.

• If you're traveling within the United States, both Original Medicare and Medigap (Medicare Supplement) plans provide emergency health coverage nationwide. With Original Medicare and a Medigap supplement, you have the freedom to see any doctor or specialist in the U.S. who accepts Medicare — for any Medicare-approved service.
• If you're enrolled in a Medicare Advantage (Part C) plan, coverage while traveling may vary depending on your plan's network and benefits. It's important to review your plan details to understand what’s covered while you're away from home.
• Planning to travel outside of the United States? Medicare generally doesn't cover health care services outside the U.S., so you may want to consider additional international travel health insurance.
• To learn more about Medicare travel coverage and how to protect yourself while traveling, click here.

A licensed Medicare agent can help you compare plans, check if your doctors are in-network, review your prescription drug needs, and guide you through enrollment—all at no extra cost to you.

If you have a MediGap supplement plan (like a Plan G) then Medicare offers no general dental or non-medical vision coverage. If you have a Medicare Advantage plan, they might have some coverage. If you want to look at adding a dental or vision plan,  click here.

Still have questions? We’re here to make Medicare simple. Schedule a call with a licensed agent today. Click here.