Medicare is a Federal health insurance program covering most people age 65 or older. Medicare is, however, not comprehensive. Even though it pays for some preventive services and covers most services considered medically necessary, Medicare pays for less than half of what it costs seniors for health care.

Medicare will not pay for deductibles, coinsurance, physicals, hearing aids, eyeglasses, prescription drugs, or long term care at home or in a nursing home.

Medicare supplemental health care insurance is often called Medigap insurance as it fills in the "gaps" not covered by Medicare.