Medicare Part A

Medicare Part A is one of the first parts of Medicare you will be enrolled in when you become eligible for Medicare. Part A is meant to cover most costs associated with inpatient hospital stays. Specifically, Part A will cover the following:

Inpatient hospital stays

Skilled nursing facility care

Hospice care
Some home health care

Enrolling in Part A

If you applied and were approved to receive retirement or disability benefits from Social Security or the Railroad Retirement Board (RRB), you will be automatically enrolled in Part A, and you won’t have to pay a monthly premium. You will also receive Part A automatically if you have received benefits from Social Security or RRB for at least four months before turning 65.

If you are not automatically enrolled, you will want to enroll during your Initial Enrollment Period.

Part A Overall Cost

For most people, Part A is free. As long as the enrollee has worked and paid the equivalent of 40 quarters of taxes, they can receive Part A without paying a monthly premium. If they have paid less than 30 quarters of taxes, they will pay $506 per month for Part A in 2023. If they have paid between 30 and 39 credits, they will pay $278 monthly for Part A.

Using Part A and its Limitations

While Part A does cover many major expenses, it does not cover all expenses associated with hospital care. There are many caveats to Part A coverage. The specific limitations depend on what service is being covered.

We are committed to helping you realize your health and financial goals by making you aware of all your options so that you can make the best choice for yourself and your family.

Inpatient Care Costs

For inpatient care, the annual deductible is $1600 in 2023, with coinsurance for days 1-60 of each benefit period. From days 61-90 of an inpatient stay, the recipient will have to pay a coinsurance of $400 per day. Days 91-150 have a coinsurance cost of $800 per day. Starting day 151, the patient is required to cover all costs.

Skilled Nursing Facility Costs

A skilled nursing facility (SNF) is where many go after a lengthy hospitalization for further care and rehabilitation. For the first 20 days of their stay in an SNF, care is free and fully covered under Part A. From day 21 through day 100, the patient is responsible for the coinsurance of $200 per day. After day 100, the patient is responsible for all costs.

Home Health Services

Home health services are services that patients can receive at home. These include things like wound care and a nurse who administers medications. These costs are covered by both Part A and Part B, and the Part B deductible applies. The patient is required to pay 20% of the cost of durable medical equipment.

Want to Learn More About Part A? Give Us a Call!

Even though Medicare Part A is just one singular part of Medicare, understanding its costs and coverage is important to know so you can see how it will meet your coverage and budget needs. To learn more about Part A, contact our Medicare experts today.