What is Medicare Part A?

Part A is the category of insurance coverage within Medicare that covers hospitalization expenses. Part A, along with Part B, was part of the Medicare program’s benefits at the beginning of Medicare and, hence, is sometimes referred to together as “Original Medicare”.

Hospitalization expenses are not limited to bills from stays in a hospital but may include stays within a skilled nursing facility or a nursing home. In order for Medicare Part A to pay for a hospitalization expense, it must satisfy Medicare’s guidelines, such as:

Among the expenses that Medicare Part A will cover are:

Medicare Part A will not cover:

It is important to remember that Medicare Part A does not cover all hospitalization costs. While Medicare Part A has no monthly premium, unlike Part B, a person enrolled in Medicare is still responsible for an annual deductible. The annual deductible for Part A is $1,024 in 2008. Alongside this deductible, Part A has limits on what expenses it will cover. For example, Part A will cover a maximum of 100 days in a skilled nursing facility per ailment. Medicare Supplement Plans, also known as Medigap plans, are private insurance plans that cover a variety of costs not paid for by Medicare. Our tools can help you review Medigap plans to help you determine if there is a plan that meets your budget as well as your insurance needs.

For more information on the various plans, return to our Medicare page. The government’s official web site for the Medicare program is www.medicare.gov. This site has information on various Medicare programs as well as detailed eligibility criteria. Another site, mymedicare.gov, also contains information on Medicare programs.