Today is the last day to enroll in the Medicare Annual Enrollment Period.

Only {{remainingDays}} day{{s}} left to enroll in the Medicare Annual Enrollment Period.

Compare plans

Speak with a licensed insurance agent

1-800-557-6059
|
TTY 711, 24/7

Medicare.gov User Guide

Navigating the Federal Government Website for Medicare

Christian Worstell
by Christian Worstell
|January 12, 2024
|Reviewed by John Krahnert

Medicare.gov is the official U.S. government website for Medicare and is managed by the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). The site serves as a source for all things Medicare and is loaded with helpful information, useful tools and more.

This guide will help users better navigate Medicare.gov and find needed information by introducing visitors to some of the site's most useful pages.

How to Use Medicare.gov

Here are some of the most popular Medicare questions, status checks, appeals processes and other information that you can find by using Medicare.gov.

Medicare.gov Website Sign Up Change Plans Button

Sign Up/Change Plans

Medicare.gov Website Your Medicare Costs Button

Your Medicare Costs

Medicare.gov Website What Medicare Covers Button

What Medicare Covers

  • Learn about what benefits, tests, items and services are provided by Medicare
  • Explore some of the services and medical items that Medicare doesn’t cover, which includes vision care, dental care and hearing aids

Medicare.gov Website Drug Coverage Part D Button

Drug Coverage (Part D)

Medicare.gov Website Supplements and Other Insurance Button

Supplements & Other Insurance

Medicare.gov Website Claims and Appeals Button

Claims & Appeals

Medicare.gov Website Manage Your Health Button

Manage Your Health

  • Login to MyMedicare.gov and find information on personal health records and Medicare forms
  • Download claims with the Medicare Blue Button

Medicare.gov Website Forms Help and Resources Button

Forms, Help & Resources

  • Locate resources on health care plans, Medicare cost assistance and information on how to contact Medicare for a range of issues
  • Find free Medicare publications such as the “Medicare & You” handbook

How to Use the Medicare.gov Plan Finder

Medicare.gov plan finder

The Medicare.gov find-a-plan tool is a helpful way to search for Medicare Advantage plans (Medicare Part C, which Medicare.gov frequently refers to as “Medicare health plans”) and Medicare prescription drug plans (Medicare Part D) in your local area.

To get started using the plan finder, you can select to use either a general search or a personalized search.

You will next be taken to a page that allows you to refine your search based on a range of criteria.

You can filter your search results based on factors such as:

  • Your health status
  • Whether or not the plans offer prescription drug coverage
  • Whether or note the plans accept your doctors

You can also find out whether your pharmacy accepts the Medicare plan, if the plan offers drug coverage.

Create a MyMedicare.gov account

A site that is closely related to Medicare.gov is called “MyMedicare.gov.” This can be found under the “Manage Your Health” menu and is where you may register an account to access your personalized information at any time, which can allow you to:

  • Check the status of your Medicare claims as soon as they are processed

  • Look up your eligibility, entitlement and preventive service information

  • View your Medicare Advantage or prescription drug plan enrollment information

  • Check your remaining Part B deductible amount

  • Manage your prescription medication list

  • Print an “On the Go Report,” which is a report of your health information that you may supply to a health care provider prior to an appointment

COVID-19 Information on Medicare.gov

The Medicare & Coronavirus page provides helpful information from up-to-date sources so that you can stay informed about the novel coronavirus, ways to protect yourself against the virus, updated telehealth services and what is covered by Medicare.

  • Medicare covers the COVID-19 vaccines that have been approved by the FDA, at no cost to beneficiaries.

  • Medicare also covers the full cost of COVID-19 tests if you get them from a lab, pharmacy, doctor or hospital who accepts Medicare.

  • Medicare is temporarily offering expanded telehealth coverage. This means that Medicare will cover certain doctor consultations, mental health counseling and preventive health screenings in full, with no cost to qualified beneficiaries.

Additional Tools on Medicare.gov

Below is a list of some additional tools available on Medicare.gov.

  • Medicare Coverage lookup tool
    Find out if Medicare covers popular and specific items like SilverSneakers, hearing aids, diabetes treatment and more. Simply enter a test, item or service in the search box and click “Go” or press "Enter" on your keyboard