Medicare.gov explained: the official hub for your federal coverage

The short version

• Use the Plan Finder tool during the Annual Enrollment Period (October 15 to December 7) to compare Medicare Advantage and Part D plans side by side using your actual drug list.
• Create a MyMedicare account to view your claims, check your coverage, and order a replacement Medicare card without calling anyone.
• In 2026, the standard Part B premium is $202.90 per month and the annual Part B deductible is $283, per CMS; these figures are posted on the site and are the same numbers every plan and provider must use.
• The site handles information and self-service well; for help choosing a plan around your specific doctors, drugs, and budget, contact us to discuss plan options.

The Plan Finder is the most-used feature on medicare.gov. During the Annual Enrollment Period (AEP), which runs October 15 to December 7, you can use it to compare Medicare Advantage plans and stand-alone Part D drug plans side by side. CMS updates premiums, formularies, and network information in the tool regularly from its own plan data, so results reflect what plans have actually filed rather than estimated figures.

To get useful results, enter your ZIP code and your full list of current prescription drugs before browsing plans. The tool then calculates your estimated annual drug cost under each plan based on your specific medications. That number is far more meaningful than a plan's headline deductible alone. In 2026, according to CMS, no Part D plan may set a deductible above $615, and the out-of-pocket cap for covered Part D drugs is $2,100 for the year. Once you reach that cap, covered formulary drugs cost you nothing for the rest of the year.

If you are evaluating Medicare Advantage plans, the Plan Finder also shows each plan's CMS star rating, published annually on the basis of quality and performance data. For out-of-pocket protection, the federal in-network maximum out-of-pocket (MOOP) cap for Medicare Advantage in 2026 is $9,250; plans may set lower limits. According to KFF, the 2026 enrollment-weighted average in-network MOOP is $5,421.

For Medigap (Medicare Supplement Insurance), the Plan Finder lets you compare the standardized plan letters, A through N, and see exactly what each covers. Because Medigap plans are federally standardized by letter, a Plan G from one carrier covers the same core benefits as a Plan G from any other carrier; the primary difference between offers is the premium amount and the insurer's customer service record.

In short: Enter your drug list and ZIP code in the Plan Finder before you browse, and the cost estimate you see will reflect your actual situation rather than a plan's best-case headline.

Creating an account at MyMedicare.gov unlocks the personalized layer of the site. Once logged in, you can view your Medicare claims going back several years, check your current coverage details, and read your Medicare Summary Notice online. You can also order a replacement Medicare card if yours is lost or damaged. Medicare cards now carry a unique Medicare Beneficiary Identifier (MBI) rather than your Social Security number, which reduces identity-theft risk if your card is lost.

The claims section is especially practical for tracking costs and catching billing errors early. Each claim entry shows the date of service, the provider name, the amount Medicare was billed, the amount Medicare paid, and your responsibility. Reviewing this periodically is a straightforward way to spot discrepancies before they become collection issues.

Your account also tracks preventive services, showing which screenings and vaccinations Original Medicare covers and when you last received each one. This can help you plan your annual wellness visit and avoid missing a covered benefit you have already paid into through Part B premiums.

In short: A MyMedicare account turns the public site into a personal dashboard; set one up as soon as your Medicare coverage begins and check it after any significant medical service.

Medicare.gov publishes the official cost parameters that CMS sets each year. In 2026, the standard Part B (Medical Insurance) premium is $202.90 per month, according to CMS. The annual Part B deductible is $283. After you meet the deductible, Medicare pays 80 percent of the approved amount for covered services and you pay the remaining 20 percent, with no annual cap on that 20 percent under Original Medicare alone.

Part A (Hospital Insurance) is premium-free for people who have at least 40 quarters, roughly 10 years, of Medicare-taxed work. If you need to buy into Part A, the 2026 CMS-set premium is $311 per month with 30 to 39 quarters of coverage, or $565 per month with fewer than 30 quarters. The Part A inpatient deductible in 2026 is $1,736 per benefit period, not per calendar year. Two separate hospitalizations in the same year can each trigger it independently, which the site explains in its coverage details.

If your income is above certain thresholds, you pay more for Part B and Part D through the Income-Related Monthly Adjustment Amount, known as IRMAA. In 2026, IRMAA begins above $109,000 in modified adjusted gross income (MAGI) for single filers and $218,000 for joint filers, based on your 2024 tax return under a two-year lookback rule. Higher earners pay progressively more across additional tiers for both Part B and Part D. Medicare.gov links to CMS's IRMAA information, though the actual determination and any reconsideration request are handled through the Social Security Administration.

In short: The cost figures on medicare.gov are the official CMS numbers; every plan and provider is required to work from the same values.

Medicare.gov lets you apply for Part A and Part B online through a direct link to SSA.gov, and it explains each enrollment window you need to track. The Initial Enrollment Period (IEP) is seven months: the three months before your 65th birthday month, your birthday month itself, and the three months after. If you miss the IEP without qualifying active employer coverage, Part B carries a permanent late-enrollment penalty of 10 percent added to your premium for each full 12-month period you delayed enrollment.

If you are still working and covered under an employer group plan through a current employer with 20 or more employees, you can defer Part B without penalty. When that employer coverage ends, or when your employment ends, whichever comes first, an eight-month Special Enrollment Period (SEP) opens, per CMS. One critical note the site makes clear: COBRA and retiree coverage do not count as active employer coverage for SEP or late-penalty purposes. Starting COBRA after leaving a job does not extend your SEP window.

For changing or adding drug and Advantage coverage, the AEP runs October 15 to December 7 each year for joining, switching, or dropping Medicare Advantage or Part D plans for the following year. If you are already in a Medicare Advantage plan and want to switch plans or return to Original Medicare, the Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period (MA OEP) runs January 1 to March 31.

In short: Medicare.gov is the most reliable calendar for every enrollment window; bookmark the specific page and check it before each October.

The "Find care" section of medicare.gov lets you search for doctors, hospitals, skilled nursing facilities, home health agencies, and other providers that accept Medicare. Each listing indicates whether the provider accepts Medicare assignment, meaning they agree to charge only the Medicare-approved amount for covered services. Providers who do not accept assignment may charge up to 15 percent above the Medicare-approved amount under federal rules; some states ban these excess charges outright.

The site also includes a coverage tool that answers one focused question: does Medicare cover a particular item or service? You type in what you are looking for, such as a CPAP machine, a colonoscopy, or audiology services, and the tool returns the official coverage determination. This is most useful before a scheduled procedure when you need to know whether Original Medicare covers it at all, separate from what any specific plan might add or restrict.

For skilled nursing facility (SNF) care, medicare.gov spells out the three-day qualifying inpatient admission requirement. Observation status, billed under Part B, does not count toward those three days even if you sleep in a hospital bed for multiple nights. This distinction matters because SNF coinsurance in 2026 runs $217 per day for days 21 to 100, with full coverage for days 1 to 20 and the beneficiary responsible for all costs after day 100. Understanding the qualification rule before an admission can prevent a significant unexpected bill.

In short: The provider finder and coverage tool answer the "does this provider accept Medicare" and "is this service covered" questions before you receive a bill.

Medicare.gov is thorough, but several tasks require other agencies or people. Applying for Social Security retirement benefits routes to SSA.gov. Requesting reconsideration of an IRMAA surcharge, including appeals based on a life-changing event such as retirement or the death of a spouse, is handled through the Social Security Administration using form SSA-44. You have 60 days from receipt of the IRMAA notice to request that reconsideration, per SSA.

For Extra Help with Part D prescription drug costs, the application is filed at SSA.gov; medicare.gov explains eligibility criteria and links out. Medicare Savings Programs (MSPs), which can cover Part B premiums and cost-sharing for qualifying beneficiaries, are administered at the state Medicaid level. Income and asset limits for both programs are indexed annually and vary by state, so the site appropriately directs you to your state Medicaid office for current figures rather than posting a single number.

For plan selection that involves weighing your specific primary care doctor, specialists, and regular prescriptions against each plan's network and formulary, the site directs you to your State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP), a federally funded counseling program staffed by trained volunteers. If you want to work through plan options with someone who can compare coverage across carriers in your area, contact us to discuss your plan options.

In short: Medicare.gov is the authoritative federal reference; for decisions that turn on your individual doctors, drugs, and income, personalized guidance from SHIP or a licensed agent fills the gap the site cannot.