If you are older than 65, citizen of the US and have made a sufficient contribution while you were working, you will be automatically enrolled in Medicare. The government will do that for you and before you know it, you will be a proud member of Part A which covers basic interventions such as hospital care and home care. Don’t get over confident though, because this is not sufficient coverage by any means, and if you want to get Medicare in its complete form, add the other parts too.
Start with Part B, because this feels more natural, and it is similar to what you already have, not to mention it is also run by the government. This makes the entire process more cohesive, and if you get Medicare Part B, the premium you will have to pay depends on income and contribution. Whether the system is fair or not, is a matter of debate and there are vocal supporters on both sides, but for you as an individual, it is more important to join it then dissect it.
By this time, you don’t have only basic Medicare, but this plan can be improved greatly as long as you are willing to increase the premiums as well. There is of course a link between coverage and premium, but the upgrade to Part C might make it less evident. This is because Part C is to some extend the same thing as Parts A and B combined, with no further increase in the premium. With the right company, you could even see it decrease, while the benefits become more numerous.
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