What's Covered by Original Medicare (Parts A and B)? Medicare covers services (like lab tests, surgeries and doctor visits) and supplies (like wheelchairs and walkers) considered medically necessary to treat a disease or condition.

Here are some other services that are not covered by Original Medicare:

• Dental exams, most dental care or dentures

• Routine eye exams, eyeglasses or contacts

• Hearing aids or related exams or services

• Most care while traveling outside the United States

• Help with bathing, dressing, eating, etc. (custodial care)

• Comfort items such as a hospital phone, TV or private room

• Long-term care

• Cosmetic surgery

• Most chiropractic services

• Acupuncture or other alternative treatments

• Routine foot care

A Medicare Supplement plan, sometimes called “Medigap,” is a private insurance policy that can help pay for some of the health care costs that Medicare doesn't cover. This can include out-of-pocket expenses such as copayments, coinsurance and deductibles.

Medicare Advantage plans can serve as your “one-stop” center for all your health and prescription drug coverage needs. Most Medicare Advantage plans combine medical and Part D prescription drug coverage. Many also coordinate the delivery of added benefits, such as vision, dental, and hearing care.

Key Differences Cost: Medigap(or supplement) coverage usually has a higher monthly premium, but could result in lower out-of-pocket expenses than some Medicare Advantage plans. Medicare Advantage plans, on the other hand, generally cost less and cover more services, which be may be the better option for your budget.

You can enroll in Medicare Part A and/or Medicare Part B in the following ways:

Online at www.SocialSecurity.gov.

By calling Social Security at 1-800-772-1213 (TTY users 1-800-325-0778),

Monday through Friday, from 7AM to 7PM.

In-person at your local Social Security office.

Generally, Medicare is available for people age 65 or older, younger people with disabilities and people with End Stage Renal Disease (permanent kidney failure requiring dialysis or transplant). Medicare has two parts, Part A (Hospital Insurance) and Part B (Medicare Insurance).

Not everyone needs life insurance. The general rule is that you only need life insurance if you have dependents. Typically, dependents are children who still live at home or have yet to graduate from college. But a dependent could be anyone who is financially dependent on you, like a spouse, sibling or an aging parent.

There are two basic life insurance options: term and permanent. Term lasts for a specific, pre-set period. Permanent lasts your entire lifetime. ... Or, you may prefer the lifelong protection and cash value that most permanent life insurance products offer.

A good rule of thumb is getting life insurance coverage that's 10-15 times your income, but it depends on your individual financial circumstances. For many people, buying a life insurance policy is a smart move that will ensure financial coverage for family and loved ones.

Final expense life insurance is a type of permanent life insurance where the death benefit is used to cover medical costs and other end-of-life expenses, most often funeral costs including services like burial or cremation, items like caskets and urns, and more.

• Nursing home care

• Assisted living facilities

• Adult day care services

• In-home care

• Home modification

• Care coordination

Long-term care can be an emotionally charged topic. After all, no one wants to think about themselves or their loved ones being incapable of living on their own. But if you want to make a smart financial decision and protect your nest egg, long-term care insurance is a must.

Did you know that 52% of people turning 65 today will need long-term care at some point?(2) Purchasing long-term care insurance can help you have peace of mind. You’ll know that if you become ill, you can afford the care you need and still have enough money for you and your spouse to eat. Plus, your kids won’t be burdened with huge payments for your care.

A fixed annuity is a type of annuity contract that allows for the accumulation of funds on a tax-deferred basis. In exchange for a lump sum of money, a life insurance company credits the annuity account with a guaranteed fixed interest rate while guaranteeing the principal investment.

A Fixed Indexed Annuity is a tax-favored accumulation product issued by an insurance company. It shares features with fixed deferred interest rate annuities; however, with an indexed annuity, the annual growth is bench-marked to a stock market index (e.g., Nasdaq, NYSE, S&P500) rather than a fixed interest rate, while still guaranteeing the principal investment.

Built to offer better returns than CDs (certificates of deposit), fixed and fixed-indexed annuities are a fairly conservative investment. If you are nervous about upcoming market volatility, and want to take some risk off the table, then a fixed or fixed-indexed annuity may be a good option.