Medicare Part A deals with your hospital insurance. Like most people, you qualify for premium-free Part A if: you turn 65 and you or your spouse paid Medicare taxes while working, or prior to turning age 65: you become permanently disabled or have EndStage Renal Disease. Upon Satisfying one of these requirements, you will automatically be enrolled in Part A unless otherwise requested.
Part A Covers
- General Hospital Care (the stay and nursing services rendered, excluding major procedures done within the hospital, such as surgery)
- Skilled Nursing Facility Care (after spending at least 3 days in the hospital)
- Nursing Home Care (as long as custodial care isn’t the only care you need)
- Hospice Care
- Home Health Services
You are responsible for the Part A deductible, which is the fist $1,315 of each benefit cycle (generally every 6 months). In addition, if you have spent a certain number of days in any of the aforementioned facilities, you are also subject to a daily co-pay (as much as $644).
This is when a Medicare Supplement (MediGap) plan comes into play; you can obtain a plan that pays 100% of this deductible and all co-pays (both Medicare Supplements Plan F and Plan N).