Home
Medicare
Question
What are the parts of Medicare?

What are the parts of Medicare?

Orientation
Last updated: 
April 10, 2026
Smiling elderly couple on medicare coverage sitting outdoors in a grassy hilly area, dressed warmly with scarves and jackets.
Smiling elderly man with pre existing conditions is grateful for medicare insurance and woman enjoying tea together indoors with plants in the background.
Older couple smiling wondering about their drug formulary and dancing outdoors among green trees, enjoying a healthy aging lifestyle.

The short answer

Medicare has four main parts: Part A covers hospital care, Part B covers doctor visits and outpatient care, Part C is Medicare Advantage (a private plan alternative), and Part D covers prescription drugs.

The full explanation

Medicare is divided into parts, and each one covers something different.Part A is hospital insurance. It covers inpatient hospital stays, skilled nursing facility care after a qualifying hospital stay, hospice, and some home health services. Most people don't pay a monthly premium for Part A because they or a spouse paid Medicare taxes during their working years.Part B is medical insurance. It covers doctor visits, outpatient procedures, preventive care, lab work, and durable medical equipment like wheelchairs. Part B has a monthly premium, and most people pay the standard amount, though higher earners pay more through a surcharge called IRMAA.Part C is Medicare Advantage. These are private insurance plans approved by Medicare that bundle Part A and Part B coverage, and usually Part D as well. They often include extras like dental, vision, and hearing. The trade-off is that you typically work within a defined network of providers.Part D is prescription drug coverage. If you're on Original Medicare (Parts A and B), you add Part D through a separate standalone plan. Medicare Advantage plans usually include drug coverage built in.Medigap, sometimes called Medicare Supplement, isn't technically a numbered part, but it's worth knowing about. These are private plans that help cover the gaps Original Medicare leaves, like copays and deductibles. You can't pair Medigap with a Medicare Advantage plan. All costs and plan details vary and should be verified annually.

Smiling elderly couple on social security benefits misunderstand medicare advantage are outdoors with man presenting a bouquet of yellow flowers to the woman.Smiling elderly couple disappointed at their doctor for not accepting medicare sitting on a bench outdoors holding a colorful bouquet of flowers.A group of six older adults enjoy discussion with primary care physician covered by medicare sitting together indoors, smiling and enjoying conversation with drinks.

In 

Utah

 specifically

In Utah, plan fit often comes down to provider network access. Intermountain Health, University of Utah Health, and rural hospital access can matter just as much as premium.

Two elderly men in a nursing home paid for by medicare sitting at a wooden table outdoors, one showing the other something on a tablet, with drinks on the table.

What this means for you

For you, this means Medicare isn't one single thing, and the choices you make about how to combine these parts will shape what you pay and how you access care.

Related Questions

What is Medicare?

How do the different parts of Medicare work together?

What is Original Medicare?

What is Medicare Advantage?

What is Medicare Part D?

Still have questions about Medicare?

Book a review with a licensed Medicare advisor.

Review My Medicare Options
Senior couple sitting together outdoors near white flowers and greenery, smiling and looking to the right.

Medicare Advantage Plans in 

Heading

 County 

Loading Pennsylvania Medicare plans...

Loading Ohio Medicare plans...

Loading Utah Medicare plans...

Decision area Tool What it answers
Enrollment Initial Enrollment Period Calculator When your 7-month Medicare eligibility window begins and ends based on your 65th birthday
Enrollment When Should I Sign Up for Medicare? The best time to enroll based on your work status, other coverage, and age
Enrollment Special Enrollment Period Checker Whether a life event qualifies you for enrollment outside the standard windows
Enrollment Late Enrollment Penalty Checker How much extra you'll pay monthly if you missed your enrollment window
Enrollment Part B Penalty Calculator The exact 10%-per-year premium increase for delayed Part B enrollment
Enrollment Part D Penalty Calculator The 1%-per-month premium increase for gaps in creditable drug coverage
Costs Cost Scenario Planner Estimated annual spending across plan types at different health utilization levels
Costs Advantage vs. Medigap Cost Comparison True cost difference between Medicare Advantage and Original Medicare with Medigap
Costs IRMAA Calculator Whether your income triggers higher Part B and Part D premiums
Costs Part A Premium Estimator Your monthly Part A premium based on work history and quarters of coverage
Costs M3P Calculator How the Medicare Prescription Payment Plan smooths your drug costs into monthly payments
Coverage Doctor & Drug Assessment Whether your providers and prescriptions are covered by a specific plan
Coverage Part D Shopping Tool Which Part D plan has the lowest total annual cost for your specific medications
Coverage Travel & Network Risk Assessment How your coverage works outside your home area and which plan types travel best
Employer/COBRA COBRA vs. Medicare Why COBRA can trigger permanent Medicare penalties and how costs compare
Employer/COBRA Employer Coverage vs. Medicare Whether your employer plan or Medicare is primary and when to transition
Employer/COBRA HSA & Medicare Compatibility How Medicare enrollment affects HSA eligibility and what to do before enrolling
Planning Caregiver Readiness Checklist Whether you have everything in place to help a loved one with Medicare decisions
Planning Document Gatherer Which documents you need to have ready before enrolling or changing plans
Planning Medigap Fit Assessment Whether Medigap or Medicare Advantage is the better fit for how you use healthcare
Planning Medigap Open Enrollment Window Whether you're inside your one-time guaranteed issue window for Medigap
Planning Medicare Savings Program Eligibility Whether your income qualifies you for help paying Medicare premiums and cost-sharing

‍CMS TPMO Compliance Disclaimer: We do not offer every plan available in your area. Please contact Medicare.gov, 1-800-MEDICARE, or your local State Health Insurance Program (SHIP) to get information on all of your options.

Participating sales agencies represent Medicare Advantage [HMO, PPO, PFFS, and PDP] organizations that are contracted with Medicare. Enrollment depends on the plan’s contract renewal.

Not Government Affiliated: Resting Sycamore Advisors is a licensed Medicare insurance agency. We are not affiliated with or endorsed by the U.S. government or the federal Medicare program.

‍Data & Methodology for Research Articles: All provider, facility, quality star ratings, and enrollment data is sourced from primary CMS records (cms.gov), including the December 2025 CPSC Enrollment files and the January 2026 Provider Data Catalog. Calculations for patient-to-provider ratios are performed using indexed clinician and facility data. Everything on restingsycamore.com is for educational purposes and does not constitute an endorsement of any specific plan or provider.

Non-CMS Data Sources: Some  specific data was obtained from https://opendata.gov