In 2018, more than 40 million people received benefits through original Medicare, also known as Medicare Part A (Hospital Insurance) and Part B (Medical Insurance). This was up four percent from the previous year, a steeper growth rate than private medical plans have seen, though it pales in comparison to Medicare Advantage, where enrolled participants grew by nearly 8% last year. With Medicare open enrollment nearly upon us, now is a good time to review the program's core benefits, including the scope of benefits covered, which costs the patient absorbs, and how Medicare treats telehealth services. The answers to these and other common questions are in the slideshow above. For additional information on Medicare benefits, see 2019 Social Security & Medicare Facts.