Medicare Part A
WHAT IS MEDICARE PART A?
Part A of Original Medicare is the hospital insurance component. Part A covers inpatient treatment, which includes hospital and skilled nursing facility stays. Home health and hospice care are also included. The majority of people do not pay a monthly cost, often known as a premium, for Medicare Part A.
Medicare Part A Enrollment & Eligibility
You are automatically enrolled in Medicare Parts A and B if you have received Social Security payments for at least four months prior to turning 65.
If not, you must register with Social Security. You can do so by going to the Social Security website or contacting 1-800-772-1213.
Initial Enrollment
You usually have a seven-month window to enroll in Medicare for your first time.
It starts three months before your 65th birthday, includes your birthday month, and lasts three months following your 65th birthday. This is referred to as the initial enrollment period.
Annual Enrollment
You don't have to sign up for Medicare every year after you've initially registered. Each year, however, you have the opportunity to examine your coverage and change plans during open enrollment. The period of Annual Enrollment is from October 15 through December 7.
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What Does Medicare Part A Cover?
Most people don't pay a Part A premium because they've paid Medicare taxes while working.
Inpatient Hospital Care Coverage
Hospital stay in 2022, you'll pay:
-$1,556 deductible per stay
-$0 for the first 60 days of each stay. (Medicare covers all hospitalization costs for 60 days. You begin paying a portion, called coinsurance, after that.)
-$389 per day for days 61-90
-$778 per "lifetime reserve day" after day 90
Medicare-covered hospital services include:
- Semi-private rooms
- Meals
- General nursing
- Drugs as part of your inpatient treatment
- Other hospital services and supplies
Skilled Nursing Facility Care
Medicare Part A covers skilled nursing facility care for a limited time under certain conditions. It does not cover long-term care or extended nursing facility stays.
To be eligible, your doctor must determine that you require daily specialized care, such as physical or speech therapy, following hospitalization. For up to 100 days, Medicare will reimburse at least some of these expenditures.
Skilled Nursing facility you'll pay:
-$0 for the first 20 days of stay
-$194.50 per day for days 21-100 of each stay
-All costs for each day after day 100 of the benefit period
Home Health Care Coverage
When your doctor authorizes home health care services for you, Medicare Part A will cover them. A health care agency is in charge of coordinating services.
This does not include 24-hour in-home care or support with daily living activities such as bathing, dressing, or using the restroom.
Home health care services covered with Part A include:
- Part-time or intermittent skilled nursing
- Physical therapy
- Occupational therapy
- Speech-language services
- Medical social services
- Durable medical equipment
Hospice Care Coverage
The majority of Medicare enrollees pay little or nothing for hospice care.
You must be terminally sick with a life expectancy of six months or less to qualify. You and your family must also collaborate with a hospice team to design a care plan that matches your specific requirements.
