so you're reaching that magic age of 65 and that means medicare may be in your future but what is medicare how does it work and how will your medicare choices now affect your health care options in the future maybe you're feeling a bit overwhelmed by it all we're here to make it simple let's get started medicare is a federal government program that provides you with health care coverage it's very similar to the commercial health insurance that you might be used to here's who qualifies uf citizens aged 65 years and older u.s citizens under the age of 65 who have a disability are living with end-stage renal disease or als or are in another special health situation what are the different parts of medicare medicare with its four parts a b c and d can be hard to wrap your mind around trying to make sense of it can feel like swimming in alphabet soup but it's easier to understand than you might think let's break it down parts a and b make up what is known as original medicare this original medicare is offered by the u.s government part a is hospital coverage which helps pay for hospital stays skilled nursing facilities hospice care and some home health care part b is provider outpatient coverage which helps pay for doctor visits and outpatient care it also helps pay for some home health care and durable medical equipment that you might need like walkers or wheelchairs then there's part c also known as medicare advantage medicare advantage covers everything medicare parts a and b cover but often includes additional benefits such as hearing dental vision and prescription drug coverage part d is the prescription drug plan there are multiple plans to choose from these plans can work in many different ways and can include benefits such as cost sharing what are my coverage options good question there are two options option one you could enroll in original medicare parts a and b if you choose this route the government will pay eighty percent of your health care bills and you'll pay twenty percent without an out-of-pocket maximum for additional coverage many people get a medicare part d prescription drug plan and a medicare supplement insurance plan option 2 medicare advantage is kind of like the value pack it bundles parts a and b and often part d as well it also may cover vision hearing transportation and many more helpful benefits if you're looking for a plan that could help you get more out of medicare a medicare advantage plan may be right for you so what's your best next step there are several ways to learn more about your coverage options you can visit medicare.gov 24 hours a day seven days a week you can contact the health plans in your area directly or you can connect with a licensed medicare insurance agent in your area to discuss your options they have the information you need on plans doctors and more to make the best decision for your health finally if you need help don't hesitate to contact us we'll be happy to help connect you with a broker in your area who can answer your questions and help you choose the best possible plan for you [Music]