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Medicare Parts A, B, C and D

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Choose the best plan for you

Identify the best options for your medical, hospital and prescription needs.

Understanding the different parts of Medicare helps you choose a plan that fits your health needs and your budget.

Original
Medicare		 Original
Medicare
+ Part D		 Medicare
Supplement		 Medicare
Advantage
(Part C)
Hospital coverage ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔
Doctor and specialty visits ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔
Preventive care ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔
Prescription drug coverage ✔ ✔ ✔
In most plans
Coverage while traveling abroad

✔
In some plans

 ✔
Most plans include
emergency coverage
Routine dental, vision and hearing ✔
In some plans
Fitness membership ✔
In most plans
Maximum out-of-pocket protection ✔

Original Medicare – Parts A and B

Original Medicare (Parts A and B) is a base health coverage usually combined with Part D for prescriptions.

Also referred to as traditional Medicare, Original Medicare is a fee-for-service health insurance program that provides hospital and medical insurance. With it, you can use any hospital or doctor in the U.S. that accepts Medicare. After you pay the deductible, Medicare covers a percentage of the approved amount. You're responsible for the remaining balance.

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Part A: Hospital insurance

Coverage can include:

  • Inpatient care in a hospital
  • Skilled nursing facility care
  • Home health care
  • Hospice care

Cost:

  • Usually, no premium is due if you've paid into Social Security for at least 10 years.
  • There's a benefit-period deductible and, if hospitalized for over 60 days, per-day copays.

Part B: Medical insurance

Coverage can include:

  • Doctor visits
  • Ambulance services
  • Durable medical equipment
  • Mental health services
  • Preventive services like vaccines

Cost:

  • An annual deductible applies.
  • After meeting the deductible, Medicare covers 80% of the service costs, leaving you responsible for the remaining 20%.

Part C: Medicare Advantage

Medicare Part C, also known as Medicare Advantage, is offered by private insurance companies and includes both Part A and Part B coverage, along with added benefits. It's a bundled plan offering comprehensive coverage through private insurers.

Geisinger Gold Medicare Advantage provides HMO, PPO and HMO D-SNP plans with annual contract renewal requirements.

Coverage can include:

  • Vision and hearing coverage
  • Fitness benefits
  • Worldwide emergency medical coverage
  • Routine dental and preventive services
  • Over-the-counter approved products

Cost:

  • Cost varies by plan but may include premiums as low as $0.
  • You must continue paying the Part B premium even when enrolled in Medicare Advantage.

Part D: Prescription drug coverage

Medicare Part D helps cover the cost of prescription drugs and is available as a stand-alone plan or is included in Medicare Advantage plans. It’s recommended to enroll when you’re first eligible to avoid penalties. Your premium won’t change due to age or health conditions once enrolled.

Coverage can include:

  • Initial coverage period – Begins after meeting the annual deductible and lasts until you reach Medicare's set limit.
  • Catastrophic coverage – You pay a small percentage of costs for the rest of the year after exiting the donut hole.

Learn about Medicare

Eligibility

When you turn 65, you become eligible for Parts A and B. Understand enrollment periods and avoid penalties.

Enrolling

Easily navigate Medicare and Medicare Advantage enrollment with this step-by-step guide.

Switching plans

Does your plan no longer meet your needs? Consider switching during key enrollment periods.

Tailored support and personalized attention

Talk to a Medicare advisor

Speak 1:1 with an advisor for a no-pressure Q&A about your health coverage options.

Attend an event

Prefer a face-to-face discussion? Come to one of our events and ask your questions in person.

Schedule a home visit

Make life simpler — enjoy the personalized convenience of having an advisor visit you at home.

Geisinger Gold Medicare Advantage HMO, PPO, and HMO D-SNP plans are offered by Geisinger Health Plan/Geisinger Indemnity Insurance Company/Geisinger Quality Options, Inc., health plans with a Medicare contract. Continued enrollment in Geisinger Gold depends on contract renewal. Geisinger Health Plan, Geisinger Indemnity Insurance Company, and Geisinger Quality Options, Inc. are part of Geisinger, an integrated health care delivery and coverage organization. Risant Health is the parent organization of Geisinger.

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