Understand your Medicare options to prevent unexpected costs and coverage gaps.

Creditable health insurance is  offered by many large employers. If your creditable health insurance coverage ends or is not offered by your employer, at age 65, sign up for Medicare to avoid financial penalties.

There are two paths to Medicare. Review your options carefully and choose the path that best fits your needs.

Path 1: Original Medicare

Part A: Hospital Insurance – Premiums are $0 for most workers who have paid Medicare taxes for at least 10 years. The deductible for each benefit period is projected to be $1,716 in 2026

Part B: Medical Insurance – Monthly premiums in 2026 are projected to be $206.50, with a deductible of $288. Most copays are 20% after the deductible is met.

Part D: Prescription Drug Coverage – Costs vary based on the medications covered and your region. Starting at age 65, you must maintain creditable coverage through health insurance or Medicare Part D to avoid financial penalties.

Medigap: Supplemental Coverage – Helps cover deductibles and copays. If you enroll when you first sign up for Part B, you cannot be denied coverage due to pre-existing conditions. After that, coverage may be expensive or denied. Policies with the same letter offer the same basic benefits regardless of location or insurer.

Original Medicare does not cover dental, vision, or hearing aids.

Path 2: Medicare Advantage (Medicare Part C)

Typically, you pay the Part B premium and receive bundled coverage. (Read the fine print for companies that advertise $0 premiums.)

Bundled coverage usually includes hospital, medical, and drug coverage. It may also include extras benefits like dental, vision, and hearing aids.

In many cases, you can only use doctors within the network and may need pre-approval for care or medications.

You cannot have both a Medicare Advantage Plan and a Medigap Plan. You could start with Medicare Advantage and later switch to Original Medicare. However, once the Medigap guaranteed issue period ends, a Medigap policy could be very expensive, and coverage can be denied.

Key Points

• Original Medicare has premiums for Part B, D, and Medigap.
• Medicare Advantage plans typically only have Part B premiums.
• Original Medicare is widely accepted by doctors and hospitals in the U.S.
• Medicare Advantage often limits you to doctors in network and requires preapprovals.
• Medicare Part D and Medicare Advantage plan costs, coverage, and networks can change.
• Review your options each year to avoid surprises.

Get Unbiased Information

Before shopping for coverage, review these trusted resources:

• The official U.S. web site, Medicare.gov provides lots of information. Be cautious of look-alike sites that may try to sell products or services that don’t fit your situation.
• The FL SHINE program offers free 1-1, unbiased counseling to help people understand their Medicare options.

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