Medicare is a federal program that helps people age 65 and over, as well as some younger people with disabilities and people with end-stage kidney disease pay for their health care.

The program has two parts:

Part A helps you pay for hospital care and some other care, such as home health, hospice, and skilled nursing facility care.

Part B helps pay for doctor visits, some home health care, medical equipment, some preventative services, outpatient hospital care, physical therapy, laboratory tests, x-rays, mental health services, ambulance services, and blood.

While you don't have to pay a monthly fee, or premium, for Part A, you do for Part B. You have the option of choosing Part B coverage. Some people wait to sign up for Medicare Part B if they're working and covered by their employer's group health plan. If you wait to sign up for Part B, you might have to pay more for the coverage later on. Be sure to check with Medicare about the rules for signing up for Part B later on.

Medicare doesn't cover all your health care costs. You have to help pay for the care that Medicare covers. It also doesn't pay for long-term care, such as an extended stay in a nursing home. There are other services that Medicare doesn't cover, such as healthcare when you travel outside the country, which is why some people choose to buy additional coverage.

So to summarize:

1. Medicare is a federal health insurance program.

2. Medicare helps pay for your hospital and doctor bills.

3. Medicare has two parts. Medicare Part A helps pay for hospital bills, and Medicare Part B helps pay for doctor bills.

4. Most people who are 65 and over can get Medicare. Some younger people with disabilities can also get Medicare.

5. Some people get Medicare automatically. Other people have to sign-up.

6. You need to tell Medicare if you don't want Medicare Part B.

7. You can sign up for Medicare Part B even after you turn 65, but you might pay more.

8. You might have a choice about how you get your health care under Medicare.

9. You can change your Medicare health care plan.

10. Medicare does not pay for all your health care costs.

11. You can get other kinds of insurance to help pay some of your health care costs.

12. You might be able to get help from your state to pay some of your health care costs.

13.  To prevent hospitals from steering patients to their own home health agencies, 1997 federal law requires that Medicare patients be provided with a list choices for Medicare-Certified home health care.  Hospitals are to clearly identify if they have a financial interest in any of the agencies being suggested to you.