Medicare Part A
The Medicare program component covering inpatient hospital stays, skilled nursing, and hospice care.
What is Medicare Part A?
Medicare Part A is the hospital insurance component of Original Medicare, covering inpatient hospital care, skilled nursing facility (SNF) care following a qualifying hospital stay, hospice care for terminally ill patients, and some home health services. Most Medicare beneficiaries pay no premium for Part A if they or their spouse paid Medicare taxes for at least 10 years (40 quarters) of covered employment. Those who paid fewer quarters pay a monthly premium, which was up to $505 in 2024. Part A is subject to a per-benefit-period deductible ($1,632 in 2024) rather than an annual deductible, plus daily coinsurance for extended hospital stays beyond 60 days. There is no Part A out-of-pocket maximum, which is one reason many beneficiaries purchase supplemental Medigap insurance.
Example
A Medicare beneficiary is hospitalized for knee replacement surgery for 5 days. Under Part A in 2024, they pay the $1,632 inpatient deductible. Days 1–60 have no additional daily cost-sharing. If the stay extended to 61 days, a daily coinsurance of $408 applies. The hospital room, surgery, and nursing care are all covered under Part A.
Source: Medicare.gov — Part A