Medicare Cost: How to sign up for Medicare Part A, B, C, D

Hi!  My name is Brian Monahan.  I’ve been a Medicare supplement agent for over 15 years.

I hope you enjoy the video you’re about to watch.  If you have additional questions you can click on my 

name below which will take you to my Youtube channel page and you can watch any additional video that 

you want.   Also,  at the end of my videos will be my name, my website address and my phone number 

where you can contact me and ask me any questions that you might have.  1-844-552-7426

This is Medicare explained the easy way.  In this video i’m going to explain in detail things about 

medicare that confuses most people. If you look in the description box below there are chapters where you can click on the times for each section of the information that I’m going to give you.

I will break down 10 important sections, including:  number one- terms used with Medicare,

number two- who is eligible for Medicare, number three- the four parts of Medicare, number four- signing 

up for medicare Part A and B, number five- the cost of Medicare,  number six- what is a Medigap plan,

number seven- what is a Medicare Advantage Plan, number eight- Part D prescription drug plans,

number nine- I’m going to sum it all up and number 10- why it’s important to have a Medicare

supplement agent.

Throughout the video there will be an i in the upper right hand corner of the video.

Click on these each time i mention a different subject that you might be interested in and a

a video on that specific topic will show in that eye you can watch the video after this one.

This video is not extremely long but with the i that shows up in the upper right of the screen and the 

chapters in the description box below you will be able to skip to any subject that you need quickly for 

more information on.  It will also have links to my other videos in the description box.

So let’s get started with the video!  Section one- terms used with Medicare.  Here are some terms 

to remember when watching this video.  Number one is a premium.  Number two is a copay or 

co-payment.  Number three is a deductible.  Number four, coinsurance and number five is underwriting.

  A premium is the recurring monthly cost of the plan itself.  This is what you pay to have the plan.

A co-payment, or copay, is what you pay each time you visit a doctor.  Might be twenty dollars co-payment 

or five dollars.  A deductible is the first amount you will pay before the plan picks up.  What they’re going

to pay.  So you might have a $200 deductible before the plan starts paying for your care.  Coinsurance is 

the percentage of the bill that you have to pay.  Underwriting is when a company asks you health 

questions and then decides whether they’re going to accept you into the plan.  Please remember that term 

underwriting.  

Section 2- who is eligible for Medicare.  Medicare eligibility is for people who are 65 and older or 

people who have been disabled for over two years.  Medicare Part A is free of charge if you or your 

spouse worked 40 quarters in your lifetime and paid the Medicare tax during this time.  A person must 

sign up for Part B during their initial enrollment period (which i explained later in the video) unless they are 

receiving social security benefits.  Then they will automatically be enrolled in Medicare Part B.

 Section three- the four parts of Medicare.  A, B, C and D.  Medicare Part A-  inpatient services

 which includes hospitals etc.  Medicare Part A inpatient care in hospitals, skilled nursing facility care,

hospice care and home health care- if you are physically unable to get to a facility like a hospital.  

Medicare Part A.  If you or your spouse worked for 10 years (40 quarters) and paid into the Medicare tax 

you will get Medicare Part A for free.  You will not pay a premium for it each month.  It comes out of your 

paycheck when you’re working.   If not, you can get Part A for a monthly premium.  Medicare Part B- this 

includes outpatient services such as doctor’s office visits etc. 

Part B.  This includes services from doctors and other health care providers.  Outpatient care,

 durable medical equipment and some preventative services.  Medicare Part B.  Pay attention to Medicare 

Part B when you are initially signing up for Medicare.  I will explain this in further detail later but signing up 

for Part B is extremely important.  Medicare Part B.  The standard Part B premium cost in 2021 is 

$148.50.  That’s what you’ll pay each month for Medicare Part B if you’re in that tax bracket.  If your 

modified adjusted gross income as reported on your irs tax return from two years ago is above a certain 

amount you’ll pay the standard premium amount and an income related monthly adjusted amount.

Let’s take a look at the standard amount to see if you’ll have to pay more.  Here is the standard 

amount that you will pay.  If you filed an individual tax return of $88,000 or less.  If you filed a joint tax 

return of $176,000 or less.  If you filed married but separate tax return for $88,000 or less you will pay 

each month in 2021 $148.50. 

Medicare Part C Advantage Plans.  A Medicare Part C Plan is just another name for a Medicare 

Advantage Plan.  Why they confuse you with this i’m not sure but i will explain this in further detail and you 

can click on the chapter for this in the description box below to move to that section for Medicare 

Advantage Plans.  Signing up for medicare Part C aka a Medicare Advantage Plan is optional and if you 

click on the i above in the right corner of this screen it will take you to a video strictly on Medicare 

Advantage Plans

 This next section is Medicare Part D, which is prescription drug plans. Medicare Part D. 

Remember.  D stands for drug plans.  Medicare Part D is the drug plans that are approved by the 

government. They are private companies such as AARP,  Aetna,  Cigna, etc. but their Medicare Part D Plan 

Is regulated by the federal government.  Keep in mind that Medicare Parts A and B don’t cover 100% of 

your costs and they do not cover drugs.  You will need to look at a Part D drug plan or an Advantage Plan 

that covers drugs to cover some of the deductibles and copayments you will be charged for with your 

drugs.

Section 4.  Signing up for Medicare Part A and B.  A person can sign up for medicare online at 

ssa.gov and click medicare enrollment or they can go into the social security office to sign up.  Some 

people receive their card automatically if they are taking early social security benefits.  As I explained 

earlier, Medicare Part A is free of charge if you or your spouse worked 40 quarters and paid the Medicare 

tax during that time.  Also a person must sign up for Medicare Part B during their initial enrollment period 

unless they are receiving social security benefits.  Then they will automatically be enrolled. If you don’t 

want medicare because your work benefits are cheaper or carrying a wife and children you must opt out 

of Medicare Part B.  This is very important and I have it in another video of mine.

 Section 5- the cost of Medicare.  Once again most people get premium free Part A.  Medicare 

Part A is free of charge if you or your spouse worked 40 quarters and paid the Medicare tax during that 

time.  If you look at your pay stub and see Medicare and money taken out- that’s the tax for Medicare Part 

A, a majority of people get Medicare Part A for free but if you don’t qualify for premium free Part A you 

can buy it.   It will cost either $259 or $471 each month in 2021 depending on how long they or their 

spouse work and paid Medicare taxes.  On to Medicare Part B.  The standard Part B premium cost in 2021 

is $148.50.  If your modified adjusted gross income as reported on your irs tax return from two years ago 

is above a certain amount you will pay more.  Look for the eye above this video that further explains this 

premium for Part B. 

Now on to Part C.   The cost of Medicare Part C, also known as an Advantage Plan or Medicare 

Advantage Plan is different with each company and the plan they offer.  Look for my video on Medicare 

Advantage Plans in the i above and in the description box below where i’ll go into detail about Medicare 

Advantage Plans.

 Section 6- what is a Medigap Plan aka a Medicare supplement plan.  Medigap plans aka 

Medicare supplement plans help fill gaps in Medicare Part A and medicare Part B.  When you go to the 

doctor or the hospital you show your Medicare Part A and B card and also your Medigap card which will 

be a private company such as Aetna, Humana, Cigna, AARP and those types of companies.  There are 10 

different Medigap plans including the most popular plans such as the G Plan and the N Plan.  These are 

government plans that are marketed, sold and serviced by private companies.  AARP, Aetna, Humana and 

Cigna all sell the G Plan but it is the same plan just with different prices.

 Try not to confuse Medicare parts such as A and B with Medigap plans such as G and N.  Two 

totally different things.  Medigap plans have underwriting unless you are in your initial enrollment period 

or have a special enrollment period.  Remember.  Underwriting is when they ask you health questions and 

they don’t have to accept you into the plan.  It’s very different than Medicare Advantage Plans where they 

have to accept you and have no underwriting.  Medigap plans have underwriting.  You will either choose a 

medigap plan or a Medicare Advantage Plan to help cover the costs that Medicare doesn’t cover for 

doctors and hospitals. This includes deductibles, co-payments, co-insurance etc.  If you want to know 

more about Medigap plans please click on the i above in the right hand corner or click the link in the 

description box below labeled Medigap.

 Section 7- What is a  Medicare Advantage Plan?  Medicare Advantage Plans also known as 

Medicare Part C are private companies that group all covers together.  The plans cover what Medicare

 Part A and B cover plus most Medicare Advantage Plans include prescription drug coverage Part D and 

also some vision, hearing and dental coverage.  Once you sign up for a Medicare Advantage Plan you can 

put your Medicare Part A and B card in a safe place because the Advantage Plan card will be all you need 

to show the doctor, hospital, pharmacist etc.  Medicare Advantage Plans group all of these coverages 

together in one card.  Keep in mind that Medicare Advantage Plans are either ppo or hmo- private fee for

service plans or special needs plans.  Also Medicare Advantage Plans do not have underwriting so 

anyone can sign up for one of these plans.   If you want to know more about Medicare Advantage Plans 

please click on the i above or click the Link in the description box labeled Medicare Advantage and will 

take you to a video specifically on Medicare Advantage Plans and how they work.

Section 8-  Part D.   Prescription drug plans.  Medicare Part D stands for Medicare approved 

prescription drug plans. These are private company plans that are approved by Medicare and CMS which 

is the Center for Medicare Services.  There are approximately 30 prescription drug plans in each state 

with different Formularies and copayments slash deductibles.  Part D Plans can be very confusing to 

someone who is new to Medicare.  There is no underwriting for Part D Plans so anyone can sign up for 

any drug plan offered in their area but the deductibles and the copayments are different for each plan and 

each drug within the plan.  If you choose to go on a Medigap plan you must choose a Medicare Part D 

prescription drug plan from the choices offered in your area.  

It can be any of the 20 to 40 plans offered from any company. Aetna, AARP, Cigna, etc.  So keep in 

mind Medigap plans are like a buffet.  You could have an Aetna Medigap plan and then get a Cigna 

medicare Part D prescription drug plan and then get a dental plan from Blue Cross.  You group it all 

together but they’re not together as one plan.  If you choose to get a Medicare Advantage Plan for your 

benefits and get off of original Medicare you must take that company’s drug plan.  For example if you 

purchase an Aetna Medicare Advantage Plan you can only choose the drug plan that comes with that 

Aetna Advantage Plan which would be an Aetna drug plan. 

Section nine-  let’s sum it all up!  So here’s actually what you have to do-  figure out if you actually 

want or need Medicare when you turn 65.  If you want it you need to sign up for both Medicare Part A and 

Medicare Part B.  You have to choose either a Medigap plan or Medicare Advantage Plan and you have 

to choose a Part D Plan if you’re going to choose a Medigap Plan.

For the last section- section 10.  What a Medicare supplement agent does for you. We are 

customer service driven and we cost you nothing to work with us.  The companies pay us.  You do not.  it 

would be the same price if you went directly with the company.  We go over the benefits of working with 

each company and give you many different choices to pick from.  Not just one company as if you called 

one of these Medigap or Medicare Advantage companies you’d only get one choice.  Also we help you 

with your drug plan at no additional cost to you.  We go over the formulas.  We help you pick out a plan 

and so forth and that takes a lot of time.  

We also help you with your vision, hearing and dental insurance-, if you choose to get coverage.  

Once again this is free of charge to you.  Another thing is we have an extensive list with 95 percent of the 

Medigap and Medicare Advantage companies on it we show you all of them and help you compare them 

so that you can choose the right plan for you.

Here are some of the companies that we work with.  It’s just a list.  AARP, Medico, Aetna, Cigna,

Blue Cross, Transamerica, Humana, Mutual of Omaha, Manhattan Life and tons of other companies.  

USAA Medicare part d is something that senior benefits could possibly have.  Also, don’t forget about the question, “ Does United healthcare pay for the shingles vaccine?”  These are all basic questions people ask to compare all medicare supplement plans.  

Another thing to think about is the town you live in. It is different if you are from Fayetteville, North Carolina or Atlanta, Georgia. This can make a difference in your Medigap plan N cost.

Disclaimer: This video and blog post are for entertainment purposes only.  If you want advice on Medicare or any of its plans, please speak to a licensed agent, whether it is me or another licensed agent. No advice should be taken from this video or blog post.  If you don’t speak to me about your individual concerns, I can’t give you my 100% opinion. Brian Monahan and Medicare 365 are not responsible for any actions that you take without consulting with a licensed insurance agent.

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