by Kim Keller

It would’ve been helpful if we’d had a basic understanding of Medicare from the very beginning.  Instead, we learned all about Medicare the hard way, when our dad’s coverage reached its limit.  And so we thought we’d share with you the essentials of Medicare to help you better navigate the system.

Medicare is a government health-insurance program for people 65 and over, regardless of their income level.

Medicare is broken up into four parts:

1. Medicare Part A provides coverage for hospitalization, skilled-nursing care and in-home care, and hospice care.  Most people have this coverage automatically when they turn 65, and there is no monthly premium.  There is an exception to this:  If your parent or parent’s spouse didn’t have enough Medicare taxes deducted prior to retirement, then coverage is not automatic and a premium is required.