What Is AARP Medicare Complete?

The American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) supports government-sponsored health insurance for elderly Americans. AARP Medicare Complete is a program that funds part of the health and prescription costs for retired Americans, and AARP adamantly fights for the rights and fair treatment of older Americans when it comes to their health care.

Function

• Medicare is a program run by the federal government that provides health insurance to Americans 65 years and older. It is also available to some disabled Americans under 65 years old and Americans of any age who suffer from an end-stage disease.

Types

• AARP Medicare Complete is made of several parts: Medicare Part A, Medicare Part B, Medicare Part D and Medicare Supplemental Insurance. Medicare advantage plans require enrollment in Medicare Parts A and B, but enrollment in Medicare Part D (drug coverage) and Medicare Supplemental Insurance is optional.

Features

• Medicare Part A helps a patient pay for his inpatient hospital costs as well as hospice service and some home health-care services. Medicare Part B helps cover visits to doctors, outpatient care, physical or occupational therapy and medically required home health services.

Considerations

• The AARP website provides all the information one needs to know to choose the Medicare plan that works best for her. Some of the information that can be found on AARP's Insurance & Medicare webpage includes Medicare rates, information about getting started with Medicare, comparisons of Medicare plans and articles about current health-care issues.

Potential

• AARP supports government health-care reform and believes that health-care reform will strengthen Medicare's financial status, lower prescription drug costs, protect senior citizens' access to their doctors and save Medicare patients money by reducing costly hospital re-admissions.