Part A (Hospital)
Inpatient hospital, limited skilled nursing, hospice, and some home health, with a deductible each benefit period.
What it covers
- What it pays for
- Helps pay inpatient hospital, limited skilled nursing, hospice, some home health.
- How it works
- A deductible each benefit period, then no cost sharing for the first 60 inpatient days.
- Who can get it, and when
- No health questions; your work history decides whether Part A costs you a premium.
What it costs
- Part A deductible
- $1,736Per benefit period2026, CMS
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What is good about it
- No network. Any Medicare-accepting hospital
The catch
- The deductible can repeat with each benefit period
- Significant coinsurance for stays beyond 60 days
- SNF coverage requires prior qualifying inpatient stay
Mistakes to avoid
- Assuming skilled nursing care costs nothing. Coinsurance starts at day 21 of a stay
- Being placed under "observation status" instead of admitted. Part A doesn't cover observation, and SNF coverage won't qualify
Common questions
- A benefit period starts when admitted and ends 60 days after discharge. Multiple admissions can mean paying it more than once per year.
- Part A covers skilled nursing facility care for up to 100 days after a qualifying 3-day inpatient stay. Days 1 to 20 have no coinsurance; days 21 to 100 have a daily coinsurance. It does not cover long-term custodial care.
Keep learning
Other coverage to explore