This part covers hospital care, care in a skilled nursing facility (after a hospital stay), some hospice services, and some home health care. Most people do not pay a monthly premium for Part A if they or their spouse have paid Medicare taxes for a certain number of years.

Covers certain medical services, outpatient care, medical supplies, and preventive services. Unlike Part A, Part B requires beneficiaries to pay a monthly premium and generally covers 80% of Medicare-approved costs, while the beneficiary pays the remaining 20%.

Is an alternative offered by Medicare-approved private insurance companies. Part C plans include all benefits and services covered under Parts A and B, and often include additional coverage such as vision, hearing, and dental. Part C beneficiaries generally have to use a provider network specified by their plan and may have different costs than original Parts A and B.

Provides coverage for prescription drugs through plans offered by private insurers. Medicare beneficiaries choose a Part D plan that best suits their prescription drug needs, which can influence costs and which drugs are covered.