Maybe this should be addressed as part of the great Medicare debate: Three out of four seniors on Medicare say the government health program is difficult to understand.

Most of the respondents to a survey from Extend Health said that the task of understanding Medicare when they turned 65 and became eligible for coverage was "somewhat difficult," "very difficult," "impossible without help," or that they "still don't understand original Medicare" as well as they would like.

"Understanding Medicare and various coverage options can be confusing," says Bryce Williams, founder of Extend Health and managing director of exchange solutions for Towers Watson. "In addition to signing up for original Medicare, seniors can purchase private Medicare Advantage or Medigap plans to fill gaps in what original Medicare covers. This adds another layer of complexity to their choices."