What Medicare Part A (hospital insurance) covers

In general, Part A covers:

Find out if Medicare covers your item, service or supply.

How much is covered?

2024 Medicare Parts A and B covered services chart (PDF, 215.42 KB)

Medicare Parts A and B coverage details
Services	Benefit	in 2024: Medicare pays	You pay in 2024
Hospitalization Semi-private room and board, general nursing and other hospital services and supplies (Medicare payments based on benefit periods) (See comments 1 & 2)	First 60 days	All but $1,632	$1,632
	61st to 90th day	All but $408/day	$408/day
	91st to 150th day (60 reserve days may be used only once	All but $816/day	$816/day
	Beyond 150 days	Nothing	All costs
Skilled nursing facility care Semi-private room and board, skilled nursing and rehabilitative services and other services and supplies (Medicare payments based on benefit periods) (See comments 1 & 2)	First 20 days	100% of approved amount	Nothing
	Days 80 days	All but $204/day	Up to $204/day
	Beyond 100 days	Nothing	All costs
Home health care Part-time or intermittent skilled care, home health aide services, durable medical equipment and supplies and other services Note: Doctor must order care and a Medicare-certified home health agency must provide it	Unlimited, as long as you meet Medicare requirements for home health care benefits	100% of approved amount 80% of approved amount for durable medical equipment	Nothing for services 20% of approved amount for durable medical equipment
Hospice care Pain relief, symptom management and support services for the terminally ill - meaning you have a life expectancy of six months or less	For as long as doctor certifies need	All but limited costs for outpatient drugs and inpatient respite care	Limited cost sharing for outpatient drugs and inpatient respite care
Blood* When furnished by a hospital or skilled nursing facility during a covered stay	Unlimited during a benefit period if medically necessary	All but first three pints per calendar year	For first three pints

1 - Neither Medicare or Medigap insurance pay for most nursing home care (See Medicare & You 2024, pages 26, 56.)

2 - A benefit period starts the first day you receive a Medicare-covered service in a qualified hospital. It ends when you’ve been out of a hospital (or other facility that provides skilled nursing or rehab services) for 60 days in a row. It also ends if you stay in a facility (other than a hospital) that provides skilled nursing or rehab services, but do not receive any skilled care there for 60 days in a row. If you enter a hospital again after 60 days, a new benefit period starts. This also applies to mental health in-patient stays. (See Medicare & You 2024, pages 37-29 and 119..)

* If the hospital gets blood from a blood bank at no charge, you won’t pay for replacing it. If the hospital buys blood for you, you must either pay the hospital costs for the first three units of blood you get in a calendar year or have the blood donated by you or someone else. (See Medicare & You 2024, page 26.)

Premium for Part A: Most people don't pay a premium, because they (or their spouse) worked for over 40 quarters. If you have fewer than 30 quarters, you pay $505/month. For 30-39 quarters, you pay $278 month.

In general, Part A covers:

How much is covered?

See also

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