Medicare Part A Overview
Original Medicare is comprised of Part A and Part B. Different services are covered by each.
In general, Medicare Part A covers the care you get in acute care hospitals, mental health facilities, critical access hospitals, inpatient rehabilitation facilities, long-term care hospitals, and hospice.
Medicare Part A is paid for through payroll tax deductions. To qualify for premium-free Part A, you must work in the United States and pay Medicare taxes (FICA) for at least 10 years (40 quarters). If you're qualified at the time you turn age 65, you're automatically enrolled in Part A. If you haven't worked long enough to qualify for premium-free Part A, you can purchase this coverage through the Social Security Administration. People under 65 may qualify for premium-free Part A if they've been receiving disability benefits for 24 months or more, or if they have End-Stage Renal Disease or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS, also called Lou Gehrig‘s disease). Visit medicare.gov and learn more about Part A Costs.
Part A coverage is based on benefit periods, rather than an annual time frame. At the beginning of a benefit period, you're responsible for all costs until you meet the Part A deductible. You aren't charged the deductible again during that benefit period. If you're admitted to a hospital or Skilled Nursing Facility (SNF) again, and it's been more than 60 days since you were last in a hospital or SNF, then a new benefit period begins. You're again required to pay the inpatient deductible. It's possible to have more than one benefit period in a calendar year.
2024 Costs
Premium
If you buy Part A, the premium is either $278 or $505 each month, depending on how long you or your spouse worked and paid taxes.
Deductible and Coinsurance
The Part A deductible is $1,632 for each benefit period in 2024.
Hospital copayments vary, depending on the length of the hospital stay:
Days 1-60: $0 after you pay your Part A deductible
Days 61-90: You pay a $408 copayment per day of each benefit period
Days 91-150: You pay an $816 copayment per each "lifetime reserve day" after day 90 for each benefit period (up to 60 days over your lifetime)
After day 150: You pay all costs