Healthcare, Insurance, and You: The Savvy Consumer's Guide

Medicare

Understanding Your Benefits and Choosing the Right Plan

There’s a lot to know when it comes to signing up for Medicare. This chapter will help you understand how Medicare works, and how to choose the right plan for yourself or a loved one.

Medicare Basics

Medicare covers nearly 50 million Americans aged 65 and older, as well as people younger than 65 who have disabilities.¹

It’s a health insurance program run by the federal government. Yet, in many ways coverage is similar to that of private health insurance.

Before discussing the details of when to sign up, how to choose the right plan for you, and using your benefits, let’s start by ...