Part A (Hospital Insurance)

Medicare Part A is the hospital insurance half of Original Medicare. It helps pay for inpatient hospital stays, skilled nursing facility care after a qualifying hospital stay, hospice care, and some home health services. Most people get Part A premium-free because they or a spouse paid Medicare payroll taxes for at least 10 years (40 quarters) while working.

For beneficiaries, the key thing to understand about Part A is that it works in "benefit periods," not calendar years, and it charges a deductible each time a new benefit period begins. A benefit period starts when you're admitted as an inpatient and ends after you've been out of the hospital or skilled nursing facility for 60 days in a row. There is no yearly out-of-pocket limit, which is why many people pair Part A with a Medigap policy or choose a Medicare Advantage plan.

For example, if you're hospitalized in March, recover at home, and are admitted again in September, that second stay is a brand-new benefit period — so you would owe the Part A deductible ($1,676 in 2025) a second time in the same year. A Medigap Plan G would cover that deductible for you.

Have questions about Part A? Get a free Medicare review and a licensed advisor will explain exactly what your hospital coverage costs and how to protect against large bills.