Medicare Part A
What exactly is Medicare Part A and what does it cover?
Medicare part A is a hospital insurance policy that falls under Original Medicare. It covers:
Inpatient care Medicare Part A covers all costs for the healthcare you receive when you spend time in a hospital facility. It covers your bills for up to 90 days when you are admitted into a general hospital.
Medicare Part A beneficiaries also receive coverage of up to 190 lifetime days of mental healthcare in Medicare-certified psychiatric hospitals and 60 lifetime reserve days.
- Skilled nursing facility healthcare
Medicare Part A covers up to 100 days of healthcare expenses when you spend time in a skilled nursing facility at your doctor’s discretion. It takes care of skilled nursing care, therapy sessions, medication, room costs, meals, and other services.
To be eligible for these benefits, you have to have spent a minimum of three consecutive days in a hospital within 30 days of being admitted to the skilled nursing facility receiving skilled nursing and therapy services.
- At-home care
Once you spend a minimum of three consecutive days admitted to a hospital within 14 days of receiving healthcare at home, your healthcare expenses will fall under Medicare Part A instead of Medicare Part B.
Medicare Part A will either cover your daily healthcare expenses for up to 100 days or give you access to unrestricted intermittent care.
- Hospice care
Medicare Part A covers hospice care as long as deemed necessary for patients with a life expectancy of six months or less, or when they are recertified as terminally ill by their regular doctor and hospice doctor.
What costs are covered by Medicare Part A?
Medicare Part A coverage is typically free of charge as it is covered by the taxes you pay before retirement, especially if you have worked for more than 10 years in the United States. You can, however, purchase Medicare Part A coverage if you have had a green card or been a legal resident for five years.
Medicare Part A Eligibility
You are eligible for Medicare Part A if you are a citizen of the United States or permanent United States resident who has been living in the country for a minimum of five consecutive years. Additionally, you have to be either 65 or older, receiving retirement benefits from the Railroad Retirement Board or the Social Security Board.
People living with a disability, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or final-stage renal disease also qualify for Medicare Part A.
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