Originating in the 1960s, Medicare is a government-provided fee-for-service insurance program intended primarily for seniors. The program encompasses several distinct parts, each of which is outlined below.

• Medicare Part A covers facility-based care such as hospital visits, emergency room services, hospice, and nursing home care.
• Medicare Part B covers traditional outpatient treatments and services, including vaccinations, lab tests, mental health services, outpatient operations, durable medical equipment, and most other medical services not performed in a hospital.
• Medicare Part C (Medicare Advantage) covers elements of Parts A, B, and sometimes D.
• Medicare Part D covers prescription drugs.
• Medigap comes through private insurance companies and aims to fill in the “gaps” left in the traditional Medicare coverage.