Medicare is a federal health insurance program established by Congress in 1965. It provides health care benefits for people 65 or older, people younger than 65 who have certain disabilities, and people of any age who have permanent kidney failure.

Medicare benefits are divided into two parts. Part A primarily covers inpatient hospital, skilled nursing facility care and home health care. Part B covers most doctors’ bills, as well as some medical services and supplies.

Medicare Supplement insurance supplements the Medicare Parts A and B coverage. You can use any provider nation-wide and there are a number of plan options available with each carrier.

In addition to a Medicare Supplement you will need to purchase a Medicare Part D Prescription Drug Plan or “PDP.”

There are also Medicare Advantage plans. They are less expensive than Medicare Supplements, but you are limited to local network of providers with little or no out-of-network benefits.