The Learn Hub · Education, not a pitch
Medicare Parts A, B, C, and D — how the pieces fit
What each part of Medicare does, when you enroll, and the penalties that never go away — general education, not a plan comparison.
A note on who Max is. Max is a cartoon owl. He is not a financial advisor, insurance agent, or tax professional, and nothing here is personalized advice. When a question turns personal, he does not answer it — he teaches the general version and points you to a licensed conversation, which is automated and says so before it says anything else.
What it is
Medicare is federal health coverage that comes in parts. Part A covers inpatient hospital care, skilled nursing after a qualifying stay, hospice, and some home health. Part B covers doctors, outpatient care, and preventive services. Part C — Medicare Advantage — is how private plans bundle A and B, often with drug coverage. Part D covers prescriptions.
The 2026 figures that apply to everyone
- Standard Part B premium
- $202.90 per month
- Part B deductible
- $283 for the year
- Part A premium (only if you must buy it)
- $311 or $565 per month, depending on your work history
- Part D deductible maximum
- $615
- Part D out-of-pocket threshold
- $2,100
Most people owe no premium for Part A because they earned it through work.
Who this page is for
Anyone approaching 65, helping a parent, or trying to understand the machine before talking to anyone about it. Understanding how the parts work is education, and nothing gates it.
What this page will not do
It will not name a plan or carrier, quote a plan's benefits, rank or compare plans, or tell you to enroll in, stay in, or leave anything. That is a licensed conversation — and where it happens, it is automated and says so first.
The trap that lurks here.
Two clocks, both unforgiving. Miss your enrollment window and Part B and Part D late-enrollment penalties can attach for as long as you have coverage — not a one-time charge, a permanent addition. And the best window to buy a Medigap policy without health questions is a protected one around when Part B starts; miss it and later coverage can require underwriting. Both are calendar problems, and the calendar does not bend. The other quiet one is the IRMAA Cliff — a surcharge set by your income two years back.
Figures on this page are for tax year 2026 and were last verified 2026-07-25. Tax and benefit numbers change every year — check the current-year figure before acting on any of them. The 2026 Medicare IRMAA income tiers were not yet confirmed when this was written; where they matter, they are named but not stated as fact.
Related
Desk’s open.
— Max