Medicare Comparison Calculator & Worksheet
These tools will help you compare your different Medicare options and help you choose the option(s) that may potentially minimize your out-of-pocket costs. Triage Cancer offers two tools to help you compare Medicare options and estimate your out-of-pocket costs: the Medicare Comparison Calculator, an interactive .pdf you can download and fill out digitally, and the Medicare Comparison Worksheet, a printable PDF. Both focus on cost only and do not include provider or facility coverage, or Medicare Part D prescription drug plans. Some values in the calculator are pre-filled using 2025 data.
Medicare Terms to Understand
Medicare is a government-funded and run health insurance program. To be eligible for Medicare, you must: be 65+ years old; have collected Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) more than 24 months; or have been diagnosed with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Medicare coverage is broken down into 4 parts:
- Part A: Hospital Insurance. Includes hospital care, skilled nursing facilities, nursing homes, hospice & home health.
- Part B: Medical Insurance. Includes outpatient services, preventive care, labs, mental health care, ambulances, & durable medical equipment.
- Part D: Prescription Drug Coverage. You have different plans to choose from depending on where you live, with different premiums and formularies.
- Part C: Advantage plans. Part C is an alternative to Parts A & B and includes the benefits and services covered under Parts A & B and usually Part D. You can select a PPO or HMO plan that is run by a Medicare approved private insurance company. If you buy a Part C plan, you are not eligible to buy a Medigap plan.
- A Medigap plan is a supplemental insurance plan that will help pay for your deductibles, co-payments, and cost share amounts. Typically, plans are labeled as A through N, and each plan with the same letter must offer the same basic benefits. The premiums and deductibles vary with each plan. If you have chosen original Medicare (Parts A & B), there is a 20% cost share amount, so a Medigap plan can help pay for that expense.
How To Use The Calculator
After downloading the calculator, input your information about the plans you are considering in the yellow boxes. The green boxes will occupy as you fill in your information. The calculator will help you get a sense of what your out-of-pocket costs will be for each plan, assuming you will reach your out-of-pocket maximum. It is a similar process, if you prefer to print and handwrite on the worksheet. Please keep in mind that both of these tools provide an estimate that assumes that you are seeing in-network providers (e.g., doctors, hospitals, labs, pharmacies) for covered services. If you see an out-of-network provider or receive a service that your Medicare plan does not cover, you will likely have additional costs. The annual cost does not include prescription drug costs covered under Part D.
Learn More
For more information about choosing and using a Medicare plan:
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Last reviewed for updates: 06/2025
Disclaimer: This handout is intended to provide general information on the topics presented. It is provided with the understanding that Triage Cancer is not engaged in rendering any legal, medical, or professional services by its publication or distribution. Although this content was reviewed by a professional, it should not be used as a substitute for professional services. © Triage Cancer 2025
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