Medicare is a health insurance program for people age 65 or older. People younger than 65 can also qualify for Medicare, including those with disabilities and permanent kidney failure.
Created in 1965 as a government program, Original Medicare started with Part A and Part B. Later, Part C and Part D were added as the needs of Medicare beneficiaries changed.
Original Medicare Parts A and B help pay for hospital stays and doctor visits, but it doesn’t cover everything.
Even if a service or item is covered, you’ll generally have to pay deductibles, coinsurance or copays without any annual limit on those costs.
There is no out-of-pocket maximum for Original Medicare Parts A and B, which means your share of costs is unlimited. Enrolling in an individual Medicare insurance plan can help protect your pocketbook.
Supplemental plans can help cover these costs. Learn more
You must be age 65 or older, a U.S. citizen or a permanent U.S. resident and have lived in the U.S. continuously for five years prior to applying.
You can be younger than 65 with a qualifying disability. You have been diagnosed with end-stage renal disease or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS; also known as Lou Gehrig's disease) at any age.
You should be automatically enrolled in Original Medicare if you’re already receiving Social Security or Railroad Retirement Board benefits when you become eligible. If you’re not receiving either of these benefits, you need to sign up with Social Security to get Original Medicare Parts A and B when you become eligible.
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