Medicare Part A

Medicare Part A provides inpatient hospital insurance coverage. It is one-half of Original Medicare, which consists of parts A & B. You may be automatically enrolled in Medicare Part A when you turn 65.

What does Medicare Part A cover?

Part A is considered hospital insurance and covers services from in-home care to inpatient hospital care. Medicare Part A helps cover the following health insurance benefits:

• Inpatient hospital care
• Hospice care
• At-home part-time skilled nursing care
• At-home physical therapy
• Inpatient care at a religious non-medical health care facility
• Blood transfusions after the first 3 pints of blood

The list above is only part of the covered items provided by Medicare Part A.

Medicare Part A costs

Medicare Part A costs come in the forms of premiums, deductibles, and co-insurance.

Premiums

Most people don’t have to pay a premium for Medicare Part A.¹ If you do have to pay for Part A, it can cost up to $505 each month in 2024.

Part A will be free for you when you turn 65 if any of the following apply to you:

• You already get Social Security benefits or benefits from the Railroad Retirement Board (RRB)
• You’re eligible for benefits through Social Security or the RRB but haven’t yet filed for them
• You or your spouse had Medicare-covered government employment

Deductibles and co-insurance

When you have Medicare Part A, you may need to pay deductibles or co-insurance to get certain services covered.

Hospital stay: deductibles and co-insurance

• $1,632 deductible per benefit period in 2024
• First 60 days: No co-insurance
• Days 61-90: $408 co-insurance per day in 2024
• Days 90+: $816 co-insurance per “lifetime reserve day” in 2024
• Days 90+ if you have no reserve days: Medicare covers nothing

Skilled nursing facility stay: deductibles and co-insurance

• First 20 days: No co-insurance
• Days 21-100: $204 co-insurance per day in 2024
• Days 100+: Medicare covers nothing

If you don’t want to have to pay for deductibles or co-insurance, Medicare Supplement insurance (also called Medigap) can help you fill in the coverage gaps.

¹ https://www.medicare.gov/your-medicare-costs/part-a-costs/part-a-costs.html