Original Medicare

 Signed into law in 1965 to provide basic healthcare coverage to Americans age 65 and older

 Over 50 million Americans are presently covered

Essentially all Americans will enroll when eligible – there aren’t many other options available to them.

Original Medicare includes:

  • Part A – hospitalization, skilled nursing and hospice care
  • Part B – doctor visits, outpatient surgery, lab tests, medical equipment, etc.

Original Medicare – Important Things to Know:

  • It is not free – monthly premiums must be paid
  • It doesn’t cover all expenses – deductibles and coinsurance apply to most services and there are no out-of-pocket expense maximums
  • It doesn’t cover prescription drug costs when obtained at a pharmacy

The following services are not covered by Original Medicare:

Routine Vision Care

Cosmetic surgery

Hearing aids

Acupuncture

Most dental care

Routine foot care

Long Term (custodial nursing home) care