Part A
Medicare Part A is commonly known as hospitalization insurance. In order to qualify for coverage, you must be 65 year of age or disabled for 24 months.
Medicare Part A covers inpatient
care in:
– Hospitals
– Skilled nursing facilities
– Hospices
– One’s home (home health care)
– Religious non-medical healthcare institutions
Inpatient services include but are not limited to:
– Semi-private room
– Hospital meals – Skilled nursing care
– Special unit care such as intensive care
– Drugs, medical supplies and equipment as an inpatient
– Lab test, x-rays and radiation treatment as an inpatient
– Operating and recovering room services
– Rehabilitation services – physical therapy via home healthcare
– Hospice care – care to manage symptons and control pain for
the terminally ill
Medicare Part A is commonly known as hospitalization insurance. In order to qualify for coverage, you must be 65 year of age or disabled for 24 months.
Medicare Part A covers inpatient
care in:
– Hospitals
– Skilled nursing facilities
– Hospices
– One’s home (home health care)
– Religious non-medical
healthcare institutions
Inpatient services include but are not limited to:
– Semi-private room
– Hospital meals- Skilled nursing
care
– Special unit care such as
intensive care
– Drugs, medical supplies and
equipment as an inpatient
– Lab test, x-rays and radiation
treatment as an inpatient
– Operating and recovering
room services
– Rehabilitation services – physical
therapy via home healthcare
– Hospice care – care to manage
symptons and control pain for
the terminally ill
Is There a Premium for Part A?
Medicare part A is free if either you or your spouse have worked 40 quarters or 10 years. If you have worked less than 40 quarters or 10 years, you will have to pay a premium. If you have worked between 30 and 39 quarters, your monthly premium will be $285.00. And, if your have worked less than 30 quarters, your monthly premium will be $518.00 per month.
Medicare was never intended to pay 100% of your Medicare costs and that is why there is cost sharing. In 2025, each Medicare beneficiary must pay a $1,676 deductible for each 60 day benefit period they are in a hospital. If they are in a hospital for more than 60 days, but less than 91 days, they will pay a copay of $419 per day. If they are in a hospital more than 90 days, but less than 151 days, they will pay a copay of $838 per day. These last 60 days are considered lifetime reserve days and can only be used once per lifetime. If you exceed these lifetime reserve days, you will be responsible for all costs associated with a longer hospital stay. There is no cap on the amount of your cost sharing.
A benefit period can be defined as the time you enter the hospital and ends when you are out of the hospital for 60 consecutive days. If you are in and out of the hospital for the same condition during this 60 day period of time, it is still considered the same benefit period. However, if you are out of the hospital for more than 60 days and then reenter the hospital for either the same or a new condition, you will have a new benefit period and another $1,676 deductible followed by the appropriate copays. There can be multiple benefit period over the course of a year.
For more specific information on what is covered, please review the Medicare Benefits Guide under the Learning Center/Publications tab.