Original Medicare - Part A and B

What is it? How much does it cost?

...Let's jump in.

Part A- Inpatient hospital stays, hospice care, and provides limited "skilled nursing" facility and home health benefits.

Part B- Professional services such as those provided by a doctor, and standard supplies that are needed to diagnose or treat medical conditions. It also covers ambulance, durable medical equipment like wheelchairs, limited out-patient drugs, and psych treatments.

Beneficiaries are said to be "entitled to Part A" and "Enrolled in Part B." This is because generally, most people get Part A at no cost and have to pay a monthly premium for part Part B. The standard premium in 2021 is $148.50.

Don't freak out. 

The money is drafted before you get your cut of Social Security. It's the almost the same premium for most retirees and disabled people, and a good majority will never realize or care that they "paid" a premium for Part B.

Now maybe you heard you get can get a reduction or a refund of your Part B premium. There are ways to pay less for Part B, and I will cover that in future posts.

I will eventually post a deep dive into Part A premium and why it's "usually no cost" but sometimes a cost, and the deductibles and co-insurance for Original Medicare, as well as some of the most common limits like the ones for nursing homes and out-patient drugs.

Thank you again for reading. Please leave any comments and come back often.