Medicare FAQ

Part A is hospital insurance. Part B is medical insurance for doctors, outpatient care, and preventive services. Part C is Medicare Advantage, private plans that combine A and B and usually D. Part D is prescription drug coverage.

Most people become eligible at 65. You may qualify earlier if you’ve received Social Security disability benefits for 24 months or have ALS or end-stage renal disease.

Part A is premium-free for most people who worked and paid Medicare taxes for at least 10 years (40 quarters), or whose spouse did.

Original Medicare generally doesn’t cover routine dental, eye exams for glasses, hearing aids, or long-term custodial care. It also has no yearly out-of-pocket limit. That’s why most people add coverage.

It depends on your doctors, travel, health, and budget. Advantage plans often have low premiums and extras but use networks. Supplements cost more monthly but let you see any provider who takes Medicare. Compare them in our Advantage and Supplement guides.

Some Medicare Advantage plans reduce the Part B premium you pay, usually through your Social Security check. Availability and amounts vary by county and plan.

It’s the most you’ll pay in a year for covered in-network services on a Medicare Advantage plan. For 2027, in-network maximums can be up to $9,850.

Yes. Many veterans use both. Some choose Medicare Advantage plans without drug coverage because they get prescriptions through the VA. We’ll make sure your plan works alongside your VA care.

Nothing. Insurance companies pay agencies like ours when you enroll, and plan premiums are the same whether you use an agent or not.

No agency represents every plan. We represent 10 organizations offering 144 products in your area. For information on all options, contact Medicare.gov, 1-800-MEDICARE, or your local State Health Insurance Program (SHIP).

Yes. We help many clients by phone across Missouri and Kansas.

Yes. That’s a big part of what we do: claims questions, ID cards, billing issues, and a review every fall.