The Medicare program is made up of several parts. Medicare Part A together with Medicare Part B make up what’s referred to as original Medicare.

Part A is considered hospital insurance. It helps to cover some of your costs at various medical and healthcare facilities when you’re admitted as an inpatient. Some people will be automatically enrolled in Part A when they become eligible. Others will have to sign up for it through the Social Security Administration.

Most people who have Part A won’t have to pay a premium. However, there are other costs, such as deductibles, copays, and coinsurance you may have to pay if you need hospital care.

Here is what you need to know about the premiums and other costs related to Medicare Part A.

Most people who enroll inMedicare Part Awill not pay a monthly premium. This is calledpremium-free Medicare Part A.

You are eligible for premium-free Part A if you:

  • have paid Medicare taxes for 40 or more quarters during your life
  • are age 65 or older and eligible for or currently collecting Social Security or Railroad Retirement Board (RRB) retirement benefits
  • are under age 65 and eligible to collect Social Security or RRB disability benefits
  • are any age and have received a diagnosis ofend stage renal disease (ESRD)oramyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)

Medicare Part A premiums are based on the number of quarters an individual has paid Medicare taxes prior to enrolling in Medicare. Medicare taxes are part of the withholding taxes collected from every paycheck you receive.

If youhaven’t workeda total of 40 quarters (or 10 years), here is how much the Part A premium will cost in2022:

总季度支付医疗保险税 2022 Part A monthly premium
40 or more $0
30–39 $274
< 30 $499

When you enroll in Part A, you’ll receive a Medicare card in the mail. If you have Part A coverage, your Medicare card will say “HOSPITAL” and have a date when your coverage is effective. You can use this card to receive any services that are covered by Part A.

Whether you pay a monthly premium for your Medicare Part A or not, there are other costs associated with Part A as well. These costs will vary depending on things like the type of facility you’re admitted to and the length of your stay.

These additional out-of-pocket costs may include:

  • Deductibles.Deductiblesare the amount you need to pay before Part A starts covering the costs of your care.
  • Copays.Copayments, orcopays, are a fixed amount that you have to pay for a medical item or service.
  • 共同保险。Coinsurancefees are the percentage that you pay for services after you’ve met your deductible.

Inpatient hospital care

Here’s how each of these costs factor into a hospital stay in2022:

Length of stay Your cost
deductible to meet for eachbenefit period $1,556
days 1–60 $0 daily coinsurance
days 61–90 $389 daily coinsurance
day 91 and beyond
(you can use up to 60lifetime reserve days)		 $778 daily coinsurance
after all lifetime reserve days have been used all costs

Skilled nursing facility care

Skilled nursing facilitiesprovide rehabilitation care such as skilled nursing,occupational therapy,physical therapy,and other services to help patients recover from injury and illness.

Medicare Part A covers the cost of care in a skilled nursing facility; however, there are costs you will have to pay as well. Here is what you’ll pay for a stay in a skilled nursing facility during each benefit period in2022:

Length of stay Your cost
days 1–20 $0
days 21–100 $194.50 daily coinsurance
day 101 and beyond all costs

Medicare Part A covers inpatient stays, such as those at a hospital or skilled nursing facility. Together with Part B, these parts make uporiginal Medicare.

Most people don’t pay a monthly premium for Part A, but there are other costs associated with Part A that you may be required to pay like deductibles, copays, and coinsurance.