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Medicare: our country’s health insurance program created for people age 65 or older. Certain people younger than age 65 can also qualify for Medicare, including those who have disabilities and those who have permanent kidney failure. The program helps with the cost of health care. However, it does not cover all medical expenses or the cost of most long-term care.

Medicare is financed by a share of the payroll taxes paid by workers and their employers. It is financed in part by monthly premiums deducted from Social Security checks, also.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services is the agency in charge of the Medicare program. However, you apply for Medicare at Social Security, and they can give you general information about the Medicare program.

Medicare has two parts

The two parts of Medicare help pay for different kinds of health care costs.

1. Hospital insurance (also called Medicare Part A) helps pay for inpatient care in a hospital or skilled nursing facility (following a hospital stay), some home health care and hospice care.
2. Medical insurance (also called Medicare Part B) helps pay for doctors’ services and many other medical services and supplies that are not covered by hospital insurance.

You can find more information about these programs from the publication, Medicare &You (Publication No. CMS-10050). To get a copy, call the toll-free number, 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227), or go to www.medicare.gov on the Internet and click on “Publications.”