What is Medicare Part A? Benefits, eligibility, and costs – Medical News Today

Medicare Part A covers inpatient stays at a hospital or skilled nursing facility (SNF). Other areas of coverage include hospice and home healthcare.

A person may enroll in original Medicare (Part A and Part B) if they are aged 65 years or older. Younger people with end stage renal disease or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) may also enroll.

Most people are eligible for premium-free Part A because they have 40 work credits. However, people with insufficient work credits can enroll in Part A but may have to pay a monthly premium.

This article provides an overview of Medicare. It also discusses the details of Part A coverage and the differences between Part A and Part B. It also examines Part A eligibility and costs.

We may use a few terms in this piece that can be helpful to understand when selecting the best insurance plan:

Medicare is the federal health insurance program for people aged 65 years and older, as well as for younger individuals with certain disabilities or conditions.

The program has the following parts:

Medicare Part A covers several services, including inpatient care, hospice care, and home healthcare. The following sections will look at each of these aspects in more detail.

Inpatient care generally involves services that a person receives in a hospital, SNF, psychiatric facility, or rehabilitation facility.

Coverage includes:

Coverage does not include:

If someone has a life expectancy of 6 months or under, Medicare covers hospice care, including:

Coverage also includes short-term inpatient care in a hospice facility or hospital and short-term respite care, which is 5 days of inpatient care to give a persons regular caregiver a break from their duties.

Home healthcare may fall under original Medicare Part A, Part B, or both. Most of the time, a home health agency will coordinate the services for an individual. Coverage includes:

Home healthcare coverage does not include:

The main difference between parts A and B is that Part A involves coverage of inpatient care, while Part B involves coverage of outpatient care.

Part B also covers preventive services, such as screenings and flu shots, as well as the following services and treatments:

People aged 65 years and older are eligible to enroll in Medicare Part A. Younger individuals with end stage renal disease or ALS are also eligible.

A person may get premium-free Part A if they or their spouse has 40 work credits. People earn these credits when they pay Social Security taxes on their income. People may earn four credits per year, so it takes 10 years of employment to earn 40.

If a person does not have the required work credits for premium-free Part A, they can still enroll if they pay the monthly premium.

If someone has fewer than 30 work credits, their Part A premium will be $471 per month in 2021. If they have between 30 and 39 credits, their Part A premium will be $259 per month in 2021.

Learn more about 40 quarters here.

Part A hospital inpatient costs include:

Part A SNF costs include:

Parts A and B home health services costs include $0 for home health services and 20% of the Medicare-approved fee for durable medical equipment, such as a hospital bed.

Part A is the hospitalization insurance of original Medicare. A simple way to differentiate it from Part B is that it covers inpatient services, whereas Part B covers outpatient services.

Costs associated with Part A include deductibles and coinsurance. If a person is not eligible for premium-free Part A, the costs will also include the monthly premium.

The information on this website may assist you in making personal decisions about insurance, but it is not intended to provide advice regarding the purchase or use of any insurance or insurance products. Healthline Media does not transact the business of insurance in any manner and is not licensed as an insurance company or producer in any U.S. jurisdiction. Healthline Media does not recommend or endorse any third parties that may transact the business of insurance.

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What is Medicare Part A? Benefits, eligibility, and costs - Medical News Today