Medicare

Medicare is confusing — let's just get that out of the way. Between Part A, Part B, Medicare Advantage, Medigap, and Part D, it can feel like you need a decoder ring just to figure out what's covered and what isn't. You're not alone: every year, millions of Americans turning 65 face these same questions, and the stakes are too high to get it wrong.

Here's the short version. Part A covers hospital stays, skilled nursing, and hospice care — most people pay no premium for it if they (or a spouse) paid Medicare taxes for at least 10 years. Part B covers doctor visits, outpatient services, preventive screenings, and durable medical equipment, and it comes with a monthly premium (about $185 in 2026 for most people). Together, Parts A and B are what people call Original Medicare. They cover a lot, but they don't cover everything — there's no annual out-of-pocket cap, and things like dental, vision, and hearing are mostly left out.

That's where your two big choices come in. You can stick with Original Medicare and add a Medigap (Medicare Supplement) policy to fill the coverage gaps, plus a standalone Part D plan for prescriptions. Or you can go with a Medicare Advantage (Part C) plan, which bundles everything into one plan — often with dental, vision, and hearing built in — but usually limits you to a specific provider network. Neither option is universally "better"; the right choice depends on your health, your doctors, your medications, and how much you travel.

Timing matters, too. Your Initial Enrollment Period starts three months before the month you turn 65 and ends three months after. Miss that window, and you could face late-enrollment penalties that stick with you for life. There's also the Annual Enrollment Period (October 15 – December 7) when you can switch plans. We've built the guides and plan comparisons below to help you make sense of all of it — no jargon, no sales pitch, just straightforward information from people who've been helping seniors navigate this for years.