Medicare Parts A, B, C, and D explained
What each part of Medicare covers, how they fit together, and the vocabulary you need to make sense of the rest.
Read article ->Independent, plain-language Medicare guidance
Research-backed reference pages, state-specific rules, and enrollment guidance. Built as a wiki. Every page cites primary sources.
- Independent editorial
- Primary sources cited
- CMS-compliant disclosures
- Medigap-first
Browse by topic
Six top-level subjects covering the Medicare program and its state-specific overlays.
Medigap
Standardized plan letters A through N, the federal Medigap Open Enrollment Period, and state-specific protections like birthday rules.
Browse ->Medicare Advantage
How MA plans actually work, how they differ from Original Medicare plus Medigap, and the trade-offs no agent will lay out for you.
Browse ->Part D
Prescription drug coverage, the late enrollment penalty, IRMAA surcharges, and the Extra Help low-income subsidy.
Browse ->Enrollment
Your Initial Enrollment Period, the Annual Enrollment Period, MA Open Enrollment, Special Enrollment windows, and what missing them costs.
Browse ->Costs
Current-year Part B premium, IRMAA brackets, Part D national base premium, and out-of-pocket maximums on cost-sharing plans.
Browse ->States
State-specific Medigap rules, SHIP contacts, and Department of Insurance references for all fifty states.
Browse ->Featured articles
Long-form pieces that walk through the most common Medicare decisions.
When to enroll in Medicare
Your Initial Enrollment Period, what triggers it, and the most common avoidable mistakes.
Read article ->Medicare Advantage vs Original Medicare
A decision framework for the single biggest choice in Medicare, written without selling pressure.
Read article ->How we cover Medicare
Three commitments that shape every page on this site.
Research against primary sources
Every reference page is built from federal regulations, state statutes, and Department of Insurance bulletins, not from secondary aggregators.
Write in plain language
We translate the rules into the words a person would actually use to ask the question, without dumbing the substance down.
Publish source references on every page
Every article ends with a structured reference card listing the sources, the tier of each, and the date each was last verified.
Why The Medicare Desk
Four positions we hold against the rest of the Medicare web.
Independent editorial
Tojocu LLC is the publisher. We do not sell insurance and accept no carrier commissions.
Plain language
Reference pages, not marketing copy. Every page is built to be read and acted on, not to capture a lead.
Honest about money
Where we eventually earn affiliate revenue, we will say so prominently and the federally required disclosures will appear above the link.
Always current
Each page has a stated refresh cadence and a visible last-verified date. Stale pages get flagged, not buried.
Frequently asked questions
No. The Medicare Desk is an editorial publication, not a sales operation. We do not sell insurance, do not capture leads for agents, and accept no commissions from carriers. For one-on-one help, use your state SHIP program; each state page links to its SHIP.
Have a question, a correction, or a topic to suggest?
We read every message and update the site against credible corrections. Email is the fastest way to reach the editorial desk.
Contact The Medicare DeskEditorial independence. The Medicare Desk is an independent editorial publication of Tojocu LLC. We do not sell insurance, do not accept commissions or fees from insurance carriers, and are not paid to recommend any plan or company. We do not collect contact information for the purpose of connecting consumers with agents.
Not insurance advice specific to you. The information on this site is general educational content and is not insurance, legal, tax, or financial advice. Coverage rules, premiums, and program features change. Always verify current details with the official source listed on each page and with a licensed professional in your state before making a decision.
Not affiliated with the U.S. government or the federal Medicare program. The Medicare Desk is a privately operated editorial site. It is not endorsed by, affiliated with, or operated by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, the Social Security Administration, or any other federal agency.
Tojocu LLC, 10869 N Scottsdale Rd, Suite 103 PMB 556, Scottsdale, AZ 85254. Editorial questions: [email protected]. Compliance and corrections: [email protected].