Medicare Part A - Medicare Hospital Insurance

Medicare Part A is Medicare hospital insurance that covers inpatient costs at hospitals, nursing homes, hospices, and other institutions. Medicare beneficiaries who have paid Medicare taxes for a certain amount of time can receive Medicare Part A benefits with no premiums, known as "premium-free Part A".

Your hospital status as an inpatient or an outpatient determines how much you pay for hospital services. Medicare Part A specifically covers treatment given only as an inpatient. You are considered an inpatient only after a doctor has formally admitted you to a hospital under a docter's order - staying overnight in a hospital does not necessarily make you an inpatient. Because of this, it is important that you know your hospital status - be sure to ask a doctor whether you have been admitted as an inpatient if you have been at a hospital for more then a few hours.

Emergency medical services and services like lab tests, outpatient surgery, and X-rays are generally classified as outpatient services and will not be covered by Medicare Part A (although they may be covered by Medicare Part B).

If you have been admitted as an inpatient, Medicare Part A will generally cover all of your hospital expenses for a stay of up too 60 days less your one-time deductible. After a qualifying hospital stay of three days or more, Medicare Part A may also cover your costs to be treated at a Skilled Nursing Facility (SNF).