Medicare is the U.S. government's health insurance program for people age 65 or older. Certain people under age 65 can qualify for Medicare, too, including those with disabilities, permanent kidney failure or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.
Medicare helps with the cost of health care, but it does not cover all medical expenses or the cost of most long-term care. The program has four parts:
- Part A is hospital insurance.
- Part B helps pay for medical services that Part A doesn't cover.
- Part C is called Medicare Advantage. If you have Parts A and B, you can choose this option to receive all of your health care through a provider organization, like an HMO.
- Part D is prescription drug coverage. It helps pay for some medicines.
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Medicare and You 2008(Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services) - Large PDF file - Corrected version. - http://www.medicare.gov/Publications/Pubs/pdf/10050.pdf
Also available in Spanish http://www.medicare.gov/publications/pubs/pdf/10050_s.pdf
- Medicare Program - General Information(Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services) - http://www.cms.hhs.gov/MedicareGenInfo/
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Medicare(Social Security Administration) - Large PDF file - http://www.ssa.gov/pubs/10043.pdf
Also available in Spanish http://www.ssa.gov/espanol/10943.html
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What Is Medicare?(Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services) - Links to PDF - http://www.medicare.gov/Publications/Pubs/pdf/11306.pdf
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Your Medicare Benefits(Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services) - Large PDF file - http://www.medicare.gov/Publications/Pubs/pdf/10116.pdf
- Medicare's Monthly Premium Won't Rise in 2009(09/19/2008, HealthDay) - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_69503.html
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Medicare Preventive Services: A Healthier US Starts Here(Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services) - http://www.medicare.gov/Health/Overview.asp
Also available in Spanish http://www.medicare.gov/Health/Overview.asp?Language=Spanish
- One-Time "Welcome to Medicare" Physical Exam(Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services) - http://www.medicare.gov/Health/physicalexam.asp
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Choosing a Medigap Policy: A Guide to Health Insurance for People with Medicare(Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services) - Large PDF file - http://www.medicare.gov/publications/pubs/pdf/02110.pdf
Also available in Spanish http://www.medicare.gov/publications/pubs/pdf/02110_s.pdf
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Getting Medicare and Prescription Drugs in a Disaster or Emergency Area(Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services) - Links to PDF - http://www.medicare.gov/Publications/Pubs/pdf/11377.pdf
- How to File a Claim (for Medicare)(Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services) - http://www.medicare.gov/basics/fac.asp
- How to File a Complaint Against a Medicare or Medicaid Provider(Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services) - Links to PDF - http://www.medicare.gov/Publications/Pubs/pdf/11313.pdf
- How to Get Personal Information over the Telephone(Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services) - http://www.medicare.gov/benechart.asp
- Long-Term Care(Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services) - http://www.medicare.gov/LongTermCare/Static/Home.asp
- Medicare / Medicaid Dual Eligibles(Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services) - http://www.cms.hhs.gov/DualEligible/
- Medicare and Clinical Research Studies(Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services) - Links to PDF - http://www.medicare.gov/Publications/Pubs/pdf/02226.pdf
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Medicare and Hospice Benefits(Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services) - Links to PDF - http://www.medicare.gov/Publications/Pubs/pdf/11361.pdf
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Medicare and Skilled Nursing Facility Care Benefits(Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services) - Links to PDF - http://www.medicare.gov/Publications/Pubs/pdf/11359.pdf
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Medicare and Your Mental Health Benefits: Getting Started(Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services) - Links to PDF - http://www.medicare.gov/Publications/Pubs/pdf/11358.pdf
- Medicare Frequently Asked Questions(Rural Assistance Center) - http://www.raconline.org/info_guides/medicare/faq.php
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Medicare Limits on Therapy Services(Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services) - Links to PDF - http://www.medicare.gov/Publications/Pubs/pdf/10988.pdf
- Medicare Plan Choices(Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services) - http://www.medicare.gov/choices/overview.asp
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Medicare's Coverage of Dialysis and Kidney Transplant Benefits(Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services) - Links to PDF - http://www.medicare.gov/Publications/Pubs/pdf/11360.pdf
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Medicare's Home Health Benefit: Getting Started(Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services) - Links to PDF - http://www.medicare.gov/Publications/Pubs/pdf/11357.pdf
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MyMedicare.gov(Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services) - Links to PDF - http://www.medicare.gov/Publications/Pubs/pdf/11297.pdf
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Quick Facts about Paying for Outpatient Services for People with Medicare Part B(Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services) - Links to PDF - http://www.medicare.gov/Publications/Pubs/pdf/02118.pdf
Also available in Spanish http://www.medicare.gov/Publications/Pubs/pdf/02118_S.pdf
- Quick Facts about Programs of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE)(Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services) - Links to PDF - http://www.medicare.gov/Publications/Pubs/pdf/11341.pdf
- TRICARE for Life and Medicare(TRICARE Management Activity) - http://www.tricare.mil/factsheets/index.cfm
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Use Information about Quality on Medicare.gov: Compare Plans and Providers(Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services) - Links to PDF - http://www.medicare.gov/Publications/Pubs/pdf/11266.pdf
- Your Guide to Medicare Special Needs Plans (SNPs)(Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services) - Large PDF file - http://www.medicare.gov/Publications/Pubs/pdf/11302.pdf
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Your Guide to Private Fee-for-Service Plans: A New Type of Medicare Health Plan(Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services) - Large PDF file - http://www.medicare.gov/publications/pubs/pdf/10144.pdf
Also available in Spanish http://www.medicare.gov/Publications/Pubs/pdf/10144_S.pdf
- Medicare Eligibility Tool(Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services) - http://www.medicare.gov/MedicareEligibility/Home.asp
- Medicare Options Compare(Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services) - http://www.medicare.gov/MPPF/Include/DataSection/Questions/Welcome.asp
- Your Medicare Coverage(Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services) - http://www.medicare.gov/coverage/home.asp
- Hill-Burton Free and Reduced Cost Health Care(Health Resources and Services Administration) - http://www.hrsa.gov/hillburton/
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How Can Recovery Audit Contractors Help Me?(Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services) - Links to PDF - http://www.medicare.gov/Publications/Pubs/pdf/11349.pdf
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MedlinePlus: Medicare Prescription Drug Coverage
(National Library of Medicine) - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/medicareprescriptiondrugcoverage.html
Also available in Spanish http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/spanish/medicareprescriptiondrugcoverage.html
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ClinicalTrials.gov: Medicare(National Institutes of Health) - http://clinicaltrials.gov/search/open/condition=%22Medicare%22
References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)
- Article: No place like home--testing a new model of care delivery. - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=18799555&tool=MedlinePlus
- Article: No room at the inn. - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=18756170&tool=MedlinePlus
- Article: Reining in RAC. - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=18714702&tool=MedlinePlus
- Medicare -- see more articles - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=search&db=pubmed&term=medicare[majr]+NOT+prescriptions,drug[majr]+AND+english[la]+AND+(jsubsetaim[text]+OR+jsubsetk[text]+OR+jsubsetn[text]+OR+patient+education+handout[pt]+OR+guideline[pt])+NOT+(letter[pt]+OR+editorial[pt]+OR+news[pt])&doptcmdl=summary&cmd_current=Limits&pmfilter_EDatLimit=last+1+Year&tool=MedlinePlus
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Medicare: Glossary(Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services) - http://www.medicare.gov/glossary/search.asp
Also available in Spanish http://www.medicare.gov/glossary/search.asp?language=spanish
- CMS Contact Information Directory(Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services) - http://www.cms.hhs.gov/apps/contacts/
- Hill-Burton Facilities Obligated to Provide Free or Reduced-Cost Health Care(Health Resources and Services Administration) - http://www.hrsa.gov/hillburton/hillburtonfacilities.htm
- Medicare Physician and Other Healthcare Professional Directory(Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services) - http://www.medicare.gov/Physician/Home.asp
- State Health Insurance Counseling and Assistance Program (SHIPs)(Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services) - http://www.medicare.gov/contacts/Static/SHIPs.asp
- Supplier Directory(Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services) - http://www.medicare.gov/supplier/home.asp
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Where to Get Your Medicare Questions Answered(Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services) - Links to PDF - http://www.medicare.gov/publications/pubs/pdf/02246.pdf
Also available in Spanish http://www.medicare.gov/publications/pubs/pdf/02246_S.pdf
- Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services - http://www.cms.hhs.gov/
- Medicare(Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services) - http://www.medicare.gov/
- Medicare Appeals Information(Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services) - http://www.medicare.gov/basics/appealsoverview.asp
- Medicare Fraud(Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services) - http://www.medicare.gov/fraudabuse/overview.asp
- Problem of Health Care Fraud: A Serious and Costly Reality for All Americans(National Health Care Anti-Fraud Association) - http://www.nhcaa.org/eweb/DynamicPage.aspx?webcode=anti_fraud_resource_centr&wpscode=TheProblemOfHCFraud
- Your Medicare Rights and Protections(Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services) - Large PDF file - http://www.medicare.gov/publications/pubs/pdf/10112.pdf
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Women with Medicare: Visiting Your Doctor for a Pap Test, Pelvic Exam, and Clinical Breast Exam(Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services) - Large PDF file - http://www.medicare.gov/Publications/Pubs/pdf/02248.pdf
Also available in Spanish http://www.medicare.gov/publications/pubs/pdf/02248_s.pdf
- Financial Assistance - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/financialassistance.html
- Health Insurance - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/healthinsurance.html
- Medicare Prescription Drug Coverage - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/medicareprescriptiondrugcoverage.html
- Health System - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/healthsystem.html
- Seniors - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/seniors.html