Different Parts of Medicare

	Medicare Part A Helps cover inpatient care in hospitals Helps cover skilled nursing facilities, hospice and home health care
	Medicare Part B Helps cover doctor services, hospital outpatient care and home health care Helps cover some preventive services to help maintain your health and to keep certain illnesses from getting worse
	Medicare Part D A prescription drug option run by Medicare-approved private insurance companies Helps cover the cost of prescription drugs May help lower your prescription drug costs and help protect against higher costs in the future

Part C - Medicare Advantage Plans

Plans offered by private insurance companies that contract with Medicare to provide you with all your Medicare Part A and Part B benefits. Medicare Advantage plans may also cover other services, including prescription drugs. Medicare Advantage plans have different structures and may be HMOs, PPOs or Private Fee-for-Service plans (PFFS). If you are enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan, Medicare services are covered through the plan, and Original Medicare will not pay for any healthcare services received by an enrollee in a Medicare Advantage plan.

Medicare Supplements (Medigap Plans)

Medigap plans are supplemental insurance plans sold by private insurance companies to fill "gaps" in Original Medicare coverage. You can choose from a range of standardized plans, each offering different coverage. As of 2010, there are 11 available Medigap policies (A, B, C, D, F, high deductible F, G, K, L, M, and N). To qualify for enrollment in a Medigap policy, you generally must have Medicare Part A and Part B. Medigap policies only work in conjunction with the Original Medicare plan and will not pay for costs associated with Medicare Advantage. People in Medicare Advantage plans should not purchase Medigap policies.