Medicare can be confusing and complex, yet most of us will have to navigate it someday. In short, Medicare is the federal insurance program for people who are 65 or older, certain younger people with disabilities and people with End-Stage Renal Disease.  

Medicare has four main "Parts" that cover specific services. These are:

• Part A for hospital insurance. This is for inpatient hospital stays, care in a skilled nursing facility, hospice care and some health care services. 
• Part B for medical insurance. This covers certain doctor's services, outpatient care, medical supplies and preventative services.
• Part C aka Medicare Advantage. This is Medicare through a health care provider.
• Part D for prescription drug coverage. Part D adds prescription drug coverage to original Medicare and Medicare-related plans.

To help you navigate the journey through Medicare, AAA Western and Central New York now offers Medicare consultations free of charge. With so many questions surrounding Medicare, our new in-house agent, Elizabeth Sciria, will host two upcoming Medicare 101 workshops to answer questions for AAA members and nonmembers alike:

Medicare Workshop | AAA Amherst, 100 International Dr.
Wednesday, February 12, 2020 - 5:30 pm

Medicare Workshop | AAA Amherst, 100 International Dr.
Wednesday, February 19, 2020 - 5:30 pm

Navigating the Medicare process alone can be difficult, and it can be time consuming. By coming to AAA, you're talking to someone who's AHIP (America's Health Insurance Plans) licensed, gets recertified, and licensed annually to understand Medicare plans. Unless the average consumer is doing that, they're not going to know as much as about insurance as a professional.

To learn more about Medicare, make an appointment by calling (716) 929-3643, visit one of AAA’s Medicare Workshops, event information can be found here or email Elizabeth Sciria at esciria@nyaaa.com.

For those who have more questions about Medicare, check out our FAQ section here.