The "Medicare & You" handbook is your official guide to Medicare. We mail an updated handbook to all Medicare beneficiaries in late September, but we can email you an electronic version if you prefer.

There are 2 main ways to get your Medicare coverage—Original Medicare (Part A and Part B) and Medicare Advantage (Part C). Go to pages 10–12 to learn more and compare.

The "Medicare & You" handbook is mailed to all Medicare households each fall. It includes a summary of benefits, rights, and protections.

Medicare offers different options for you to get health care coverage. Start here to get the basics and find out how Medicare works before you look at your coverage options.

The official U.S. government website for Medicare, a health insurance program for people age 65 or older and younger people with disabilities.

Basics Get started with Medicare Get basics on how Medicare works, sign up, and review your options for more coverage. Learn about it at your own pace.

You can join, switch, drop or make changes to your Medicare health or drug coverage during Medicare Open Enrollment, each year from October 15–December 7. Your coverage starts on January 1 (as …

Get started with Medicare Medicare is health insurance for people 65 or older. You may be eligible to get Medicare earlier if you have a disability, End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD), or ALS (also called Lou …

• Visit Medicare.gov to get detailed information about the Medicare health and drug plans in your area, find participating health care providers and suppliers, get quality of care information, and more.

Even if you have Marketplace coverage (or other individual health coverage that isn’t based on current employment), you should sign up for Medicare when you’re first eligible (usually when you turn 65) to …