07/21/2026
🎥 Medicare Part B: What does it cover, what does it cost, and when should you enroll?
Medicare Part B is often called the medical insurance portion of Medicare. In this video, I explain how it helps cover services such as:
✅ Doctor and specialist visits
✅ Outpatient care and procedures
✅ Ambulance services when medically necessary
✅ Lab tests, X-rays, and diagnostic screenings
✅ Physical and occupational therapy
✅ Durable medical equipment, including walkers and oxygen equipment
✅ Many preventive services and vaccines
✅ Certain medications administered in a doctor’s office
Part B is not completely free. Most people pay a monthly premium and an annual deductible. With Original Medicare, you generally pay 20% of the Medicare-approved cost for covered services after meeting the deductible—and Original Medicare does not have an annual out-of-pocket maximum.
Part B generally does not cover routine dental care, dentures, routine eye exams for glasses, hearing aids, long-term custodial care, or most medications you take at home.
Your Initial Enrollment Period normally lasts seven months: the three months before you turn 65, your birthday month, and the three months afterward. Delaying Part B without qualifying employer coverage could leave you with a coverage gap and a 10% premium penalty for each full 12-month period you were eligible but did not enroll. In most cases, that penalty continues for as long as you have Part B.
Still working at 65? Don’t assume you should enroll—or delay enrollment—without reviewing your employer coverage first. Employer size, current employment, COBRA, retiree coverage, and HSA contributions can all affect the decision.
Liesel and I can help you understand when to enroll and compare your Medicare coverage options. Schedule a free phone, video, or in-person consultation:
📅 https://calendly.com/d/cx58-q89-ks7/medicare-with-mark-liesel
Medicare has a lot of moving parts. Our job is to help you put those parts together without needing an engineering degree! 😊
Enrollment timing and penalty information is available from the official Medicare enrollment guide.