What medical expenses are covered by Medicare?
Medicare is divided into three parts. Parts A and B are each designed to pay for a different kind of health care cost. Part A, Medicare Hospital Insurance, helps pay for inpatient care in a hospital or skilled nursing facility, home health care and hospice care. Medicare Part B helps pay for doctors’ services and many medical services and supplies that are not covered by the Hospital Insurance part of Medicare. Payments may be made under Part B for approved charges for physicians’ services, outpatient hospital and surgery, transportation by ambulance, durable medical equipment, outpatient physical therapy and speech pathology, and other services. All persons who are 65 and older and who are eligible for Social Security or Railroad Retirement cash benefits automatically qualify for Part A. Individuals 65 or over who do not automatically qualify may individually purchase the Hospital Insurance provided by Part A. Any person who is qualified for Part A coverage will be automatically enrol
