How Medicare Actually Works
Medicare has four parts, dozens of plan types, and enrollment windows that can cost you money if you miss them. We break it all down in plain English, with no agenda.
Original Medicare (Parts A & B)
Hospital insurance and medical insurance. The foundation everything else is built on. What it covers, what it doesn’t, and what you’ll pay.
Medicare Supplement (Medigap)
Private insurance that fills the gaps in Original Medicare. Plans G, N, and F: what they cover, what they cost, and which is right for you.
Medicare Advantage (Part C)
An alternative to Original Medicare offered by private companies. Bundled coverage with networks, copays, and often extra benefits.
Part D (Drug Coverage)
Prescription drug plans: how formularies work, the coverage stages, and how the 2026 out-of-pocket cap works, and why the same prescription costs differently on two plans.
Dental, Vision & Hearing
What Original Medicare covers (not much), standalone DVH plans, and Advantage plans that bundle these services. Your options for 2026.
Social Security & Medicare
How Social Security claiming age affects Medicare enrollment, premiums, and IRMAA. The connection most people don’t think about until it’s too late.
Enrollment Periods and Late Penalties
Every window that opens and closes, who each one is for, what you can do inside it, and what it costs to miss one.
IRMAA: The Income Surcharge
Why higher earners pay more for Parts B and D, the two-year lookback, the 2026 brackets, and the appeal that can undo it.
How the Parts Fit Together
Medicare isn’t one thing. It’s a system with four parts and two coverage paths. Here’s the 30-second version:
- Original Medicare (Parts A + B) is your baseline: hospital and medical coverage from the government
- Path 1: Add a Medigap supplement + standalone Part D drug plan (maximum freedom, predictable costs)
- Path 2: Replace with Medicare Advantage (Part C) that bundles everything into one plan (lower premiums, but with networks)
- Both paths are legitimate. Neither is universally “better.” Your health, medications, doctors, and budget determine which is right for you.
That’s what our workshop and advisors help you figure out.
+ Medigap fills the 20% gap that Original Medicare doesn’t cover
Want Someone to Walk You Through It?
Our workshop covers all four parts in 60 minutes. Or talk to an advisor who’ll explain how it applies to your specific situation.