Medicare Part A (hospital insurance)
In short: Part A covers care when you are admitted to a hospital, a short stay in a skilled nursing facility after a hospital stay, hospice, and some home health care. Most people pay no monthly premium because they or their spouse worked about 10 years. You pay a deductible of $1,736 for each benefit period in 2026.
What it covers
- Inpatient hospital care (when a doctor formally admits you).
- Skilled nursing facility care after at least a 3-day inpatient hospital stay, for rehabilitation or skilled care. It does not cover long-term custodial care, such as help with bathing and dressing in a nursing home.
- Hospice care for people with a terminal illness.
- Some home health care.
Check if you are admitted. If the hospital keeps you “under observation,” you are an outpatient, Part B rules apply, and the days do not count toward the 3-day stay needed for nursing facility coverage. Ask the hospital staff.
What it costs in 2026
| Cost | Amount |
|---|---|
| Hospital deductible, each benefit period | $1,736 |
| Hospital days 1 to 60 | $0 after the deductible |
| Hospital days 61 to 90 | $434 a day |
| Lifetime reserve days (60 extra days in your lifetime) | $868 a day |
| Skilled nursing facility, days 1 to 20 | $0 |
| Skilled nursing facility, days 21 to 100 | $217 a day |
A benefit period starts when you are admitted and ends after you have been out of the hospital or nursing facility for 60 days in a row. You can pay the deductible more than once a year.
A Medigap policy or Medicaid can pay these costs.
The Part A premium
- No premium if you or your spouse (current, former of 10+ years, or late) worked and paid Medicare taxes for 40 quarters (about 10 years).
- $311 a month with 30 to 39 quarters.
- $565 a month with fewer than 30 quarters.
- If you must buy Part A and sign up late, the premium goes up by 10% for twice the number of years you could have had it.
- Some states pay the Part A premium for people with low income through the Qualified Medicare Beneficiary (QMB) program.
How to sign up
Sign up for Part A with Part B through Social Security: online at ssa.gov/medicare/sign-up, by phone at 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778), or at a local office. See Medicare for when to sign up.
Related programs
Sources
- cms.gov/newsroom/fact-sheets/2026-medicare-parts-b-premiums-deductibles · checked 2026-10-12
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