Medicare Part A Explained

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.