Medicare is a health insurance program in the USA that was originally formed by the Federal Government to provide insurance coverage for persons age 65 or older, in order to complement retirement, survivor, and disability insurance provided by Social Security.

Today, the Medicare program also insures the disabled and those afflicted with End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD permanent kidney failure requiring dialysis or a kidney transplant). People insured by the Medicare program and entitled to its benefits under the Social Security Administration are called beneficiaries.

Medicare has two parts:

Part A (Hospital Insurance) - Most people do not have to pay for Part A. Helps cover care in hospitals as an inpatient, critical access hospitals, skilled nursing facilities, hospice care, and some home health care.

Part B (Supplemental Medical Insurance) - Most people pay monthly for Part B. Helps cover Doctors� services, outpatient hospital care, diagnostic tests, clinical laboratory services, services of physical and occupational therapists, durable medical equipment, ambulance transportation and rural health clinic services. Part B helps pay for these covered services and supplies when they are medically necessary.