What Part A generally covers
Part A is hospital insurance. It commonly relates to inpatient hospital care, skilled nursing facility care after a qualifying hospital stay, hospice, and certain home health services. It is only one piece of Medicare.
2026 Part A cost-sharing
CMS announced a 2026 inpatient hospital deductible of $1,736 per benefit period. Daily coinsurance is $434/day for days 61–90, $868/day for lifetime reserve days, and $217/day (days 21–100) for skilled nursing. Most people do not pay a Part A premium if they or a spouse paid Medicare taxes long enough.
- Figures are from CMS public notices and can change.
- A benefit period starts when you are admitted as an inpatient and ends after 60 days without inpatient or SNF care.
Part A is not the whole picture
Part A does not replace Part B, Part D, or Medigap. People reviewing hospital coverage should also look at outpatient costs, prescriptions, and whether they want Original Medicare or Medicare Advantage.
Related Medicare topics
Important: We are not affiliated with or endorsed by the U.S. Government or the federal Medicare program. This page is general education. Availability, eligibility, costs, and benefits can vary by plan and area.