Medicare Part A Part A, also known as hospital insurance, is the part of Medicare that covers most medically necessary hospital inpatient care, skilled nursing facility (SNF) care, home health care, and hospice care. covers the following services:
- Inpatient hospital care: This is care received after you are formally admitted into a hospital by a physician. You are covered for up to 90 days each benefit period in a general hospital, plus 60 lifetime reserve days. Medicare also covers up to 190 lifetime days in a Medicare-certified Medicare-certified means offering services at a level of quality approved by Medicare. Medicare will not pay for services received from a health care provider that is not Medicare-certified. psychiatric hospital.
- Skilled nursing facility (SNF) care: Medicare covers room, board, and a range of services provided in a SNF, including administration of medications, tube feedings, and wound care. You are covered for up to 100 days each benefit period The benefit period is the amount of time during which Medicare pays for hospital and skilled nursing facility (SNF) services. A benefit period begins the day you are admitted to a hospital as an inpatient, or to a SNF, and ends the day you have been out of the hospital or SNF for 60 days in a row. With each new benefit period, you pay a new deductible. Your coinsurance is determined by the number of days you have been in the facility during each benefit period. if you qualify for coverage. To qualify, you must have spent at least three consecutive days as a hospital inpatient An inpatient is a patient who has been formally admitted into the hospital by a doctor. Most inpatient care is covered under Medicare Part A (hospital insurance). within 30 days of admission to the SNF, and need skilled nursing or therapy services.
- Home health care: Medicare covers services in your home if you are homebound and need skilled care Skilled care is medically necessary care that must be performed by a skilled professional, or under their supervision. Skilled nursing includes care from registered nurses and licensed practical nurses. Skilled therapy includes care from licensed physical, occupational, and speech therapists. . You are covered for up to 100 days of daily care or an unlimited amount of intermittent care. To qualify for Part A coverage, you must have spent at least three consecutive days as a hospital inpatient within 14 days of receiving home health care Home health care is care provided at home to treat an illness or injury. Medicare will only cover home health care if you are homebound and have a need for skilled care, including skilled nursing and/or skilled therapy services. . (Note: You can get home health care through Medicare Part B if you do not meet all the requirements for Part A coverage.)
- Hospice care: This is care you may elect to receive if a provider See Health Care Provider. determines you are terminally ill. You are covered for as long as your provider certifies you need care.
Keep in mind that Medicare does not usually pay the full cost of your care, and you will likely be responsible for some portion of the cost-sharing (deductibles, coinsurances, copayments) for Medicare-covered services.