What is Medicare Part A?

Medicare Part A is often called "hospital insurance". It is one half of "Original Medicare" (alongside Part B) and is the foundational piece of the federal health program for those 65 and older or with certain disabilities.

Think of Part A as your coverage for inpatient care. It handles the big-ticket items when you are formally admitted to a facility, covering the "room and board" aspect of your medical treatment.

What Does It Cover?

Part A helps pay for four main types of care:

• Inpatient Hospital Care: Includes semi-private rooms, meals, general nursing, and drugs used during your stay.
• Skilled Nursing Facility (SNF) Care: Covers rehabilitation and nursing care after a qualified hospital stay (usually at least 3 days).
• Hospice Care: Provides comfort and palliative care for terminal illnesses.
• Home Health Care: Limited skilled care if you are homebound and require therapy or nursing.

Is It Really "Free"?

For 99% of beneficiaries, there is no monthly premium for Part A. This is because you (or your spouse) likely paid Medicare taxes for at least 10 years (40 quarters) while working. If you don't qualify for premium-free Part A, the monthly cost can be as high as $565 in 2026.

However, even if the premium is $0, there are still out-of-pocket costs:

• Deductible: In 2026, you pay a $1,736 deductible for each benefit period before Medicare begins to pay.
• Coinsurance: You pay $0 for the first 60 days in a hospital, but after that, daily coinsurance fees apply ($434/day for days 61–90).