The federal foundation: hospital + medical
Original Medicare is the government-run program made of Part A (hospital) and Part B (medical). It covers a lot — but not everything, and it has no yearly out-of-pocket limit. Understanding it is the starting point for every other choice.
Part A covers inpatient hospital stays, skilled nursing facility care, hospice, and some home health care. Most people get it premium-free because they (or a spouse) paid Medicare taxes for at least 10 years. Part B covers doctor visits, outpatient care, lab tests, preventive screenings, and durable medical equipment, for a monthly premium.
Original Medicare doesn’t include prescription drug coverage (that’s Part D), and it has no cap on your annual out-of-pocket costs. It also generally doesn’t cover routine dental, vision, or hearing. That’s why most people add either a Medicare Advantage plan or a Medigap policy plus Part D to fill the gaps.
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For many people, no. It has no out-of-pocket maximum and no drug coverage, so a 20% coinsurance on a big medical event can add up. Most people pair it with a Medigap policy and Part D, or choose a Medicare Advantage plan instead.