A quote is not a policy. Coverage begins only when the carrier issues it.

GLOSSARY

This type of plan is offered by private insurance companies and combines your Medicare hospital and medical benefits, often including extras like dental, vision, or hearing coverage.

This is extra insurance that works with Original Medicare and helps pay some costs that Medicare does not cover, such as deductibles, copays, and coinsurance amounts.

This coverage helps pay for prescription medicines. Each plan has its own list of covered drugs and pharmacy network, which affects how much you pay throughout the year.

This is the group of doctors, hospitals, and clinics that agree to work with a specific insurance plan. Staying in the network usually keeps your costs lower and more predictable.

This is the amount you pay regularly, usually each month, to keep your insurance coverage active, similar to a membership fee that keeps your plan in place.

This is your share of a covered medical service cost, shown as a percentage. For example, Medicare may pay 80 percent and you may pay the remaining 20 percent.