Medicare Part A helps pay for hospital stays and inpatient care. You cannot be denied Part A coverage. You may go to any qualified health care provider in the United States who participates in the Medicare program and is accepting Medicare patients.
Medicare Part A covers hospital stays and inpatient care, including:
- A semi-private room
- Your hospital meals
- Skilled nursing services
- Care in special units, such as intensive care
- Drugs, medical supplies and medical equipment used during an inpatient stay
- Lab tests, X-rays and medical equipment as an inpatient
- Operating room and recovery room services
- Some blood transfusions in a hospital or skilled nursing facility
- Inpatient or outpatient rehabilitation services after a qualified inpatient stay
- Part-time, skilled care for the homebound
- Hospice care for the terminally ill, including medications to manage symptoms and control pain
Premium
-
$0 for most people (because they or a spouse paid Medicare taxes long enough while working - generally at least 10 years). If you get Medicare earlier than age 65, you won’t pay a Part A premium. This is sometimes called “premium-free Part A.”If you don’t qualify for premium-free Part A: You might be able to buy it.
Deductible
- $1736 for each hospital benefit period, before Original Medicare starts to pay.
Copay for hospital stays
- $0 for days 1–60
- $419 a day for days 61–90
- $838 a day for each lifetime reserve day
Copay for skilled nursing facility stays
- Days 61-90: $434 each day
- Days 91-150: $868 each day while using your 60 lifetime reserve days.
- After day 150: You pay all costs.
Skilled nursing
- Days 21-100; $217 each day
- Days 101 and beyond: You pay all costs.
For hospice care
- You must meet Medicare's requirements, including a doctor's certification of terminal illness.
