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Medicare Supplement Plan A: 2024 Benefits and Costs

Medicare Supplement Insurance Plan A is one of 10 different standardized Medigap plan types. Learn about Plan A benefits and costs.

Medicare Supplement Insurance, also called Medigap, is a type of private insurance that is used together with your Original Medicare coverage (Medicare Part A and Part B) to help cover certain Medicare out-of-pocket expenses, such as copays and deductibles.

Medigap Plan A is one of the 10 Medigap plans available in most states, which include Plan A, B, C, D, F, G, K, L, M and N. Each type of Medigap plan offers a different combination of standardized benefits.

Let’s take a look at what Medicare Supplement Insurance Plan A covers and review the average cost of Medigap Plan A.

What does Medicare Supplement Plan A cost?

The average premium cost for Medicare Supplement Insurance Plan A in 2023 was $224 per month.1

It’s important to note that Medigap plan costs may vary based on factors such as age, gender, your health, how your insurance carrier rates (prices) its plans and where you live.

Medigap Plan A costs may also vary based on when you enroll.

The average cost listed above includes Medigap Plan A options that may offer lower premiums than what is listed, as well as some plans with higher premium costs.

What does Medicare Supplement Plan A cover?

You can use the Medigap plans comparison chart below to compare Medigap Plan A benefits to what is covered by other Medigap plans.

 

Click here to view enlarged chart Scroll to the right to continue reading the chart
Medicare Supplement Benefits A B C* D F1* G1 K2 L3 M N4
Part A coinsurance and hospital coverage                    
Part B coinsurance or copayment             50% 75%    
Part A hospice care coinsurance or copayment             50% 75%    
First 3 pints of blood             50% 75%    
Skilled nursing facility coinsurance             50% 75%    
Part A deductible             50% 75% 50%  
Part B deductible                    
Part B excess charges                    
Foreign travel emergency     80% 80% 80% 80%     80% 80%
* Plan F and Plan C are not available to Medicare beneficiaries who became eligible for Medicare on or after January 1, 2020. If you became eligible for Medicare before 2020,... you may still be able to enroll in Plan F or Plan C as long as they are available in your area.

1 Plans F and G offer high-deductible plans that each have an annual deductible of $2,800 in 2024. Once the annual deductible is met, the plan pays 100% of covered services for the rest of the year. The high-deductible Plan F is not available to new beneficiaries who became eligible for Medicare on or after January 1, 2020.

2 Plan K has an out-of-pocket yearly limit of $7,060 in 2024. After you pay the out-of-pocket yearly limit and yearly Part B deductible, it pays 100% of covered services for the rest of the calendar year.

3 Plan L has an out-of-pocket yearly limit of $3,530 in 2024. After you pay the out-of-pocket yearly limit and yearly Part B deductible, it pays 100% of covered services for the rest of the calendar year.

4 Plan N pays 100% of the Part B coinsurance, except for a copayment of up to $20 for some office visits and up to $50 copayment for emergency room visits that don’t result in an inpatient admission.
+ Read more

 

Medicare Supplement Insurance Plan A provides 100 percent coverage for each of the following four benefit areas:

Medicare Part A coinsurance and hospital costs

If you are admitted to a hospital for inpatient treatment, Medicare Part A helps cover your hospital costs once you reach your Medicare Part A deductible, which is $1,632 per benefit period in 2024.

For the first 60 days of your hospital stay, you aren’t required to pay any Part A coinsurance.

But beginning on day 61 of your stay, you’re required to make a Medicare Part A coinsurance payment of $408 per day through day 90. After your 90th day in the hospital, you must pay $816 per day for up to 60 more days. Beyond that, you are responsible for all costs.

These coinsurance costs can add up quickly. Medigap Plan A covers 100 percent of your Part A coinsurance costs.

Medicare Part B coinsurance or copayment

Medicare Part B helps cover costs for things like doctor’s appointments, medical devices and preventive care.

After you meet your Medicare Part B deductible (which is $240 per year in 2023), you are typically responsible for a coinsurance or copay of 20 percent of the Medicare-approved amount for covered services.

For example, if you suffer a foot injury and need to use a wheelchair, Part B will help cover 80 percent of the cost of your wheelchair (after you meet your Part B deductible).

For illustration purposes, if it costs $800 to buy the wheelchair and Medicare Part B covers it as durable medical equipment (DME), your Part B coinsurance cost would be $112. Medigap Plan A would fully cover your $112 Part B coinsurance.

First three pints of blood

Original Medicare does not cover the cost of the first three pints of blood you might need for a blood transfusion. Medicare Supplement Insurance Plan A covers 100 percent of the cost for your first three pints of blood.

Part A hospice care coinsurance or copayment

Medicare Part A requires a copayment for prescription drugs used during hospice care. You might also be charged a 5 percent coinsurance for inpatient respite care costs.

Medigap Plan A covers 100 percent of your Medicare Part A hospice care coinsurance or copayments.

What you need to know about Medigap Plan A

There are a few things to know about Medicare Supplement Insurance Plan A, beyond what it covers.

Medigap Plan A benefits are standardized

The basic benefits that are covered by Medigap Plan A are the same, no matter where the plan is sold, or by which carrier.

Medigap Plan A in Ohio offers the same basic benefits listed above as Medigap Plan A in Texas.

Medigap Plan A should not be confused with Medicare Part A

Medicare Supplement Insurance Plan A could sometimes be mistaken for Medicare Part A. But these are actually two very different things.

Medicare Part A is one part of Original Medicare (along with Medicare Part B). Medicare Part A provides coverage for hospital stays and other types of inpatient care.

Medigap Plan A helps cover some of the out-of-pocket Medicare costs listed above.

Medicare Supplement Insurance companies are required to sell Plan A

Any insurance company that sells Medicare Supplement Insurance plans must sell at least Medigap Plan A.

If they offer any additional Medigap plans, they are required to offer at least either Plan C or Plan F.

Medigap Plan A vs. Medicare Advantage plans

Medigap plans and Medicare Advantage plans are very different things. You cannot have a Medicare Supplement Insurance (Medigap) plan and a Medicare Advantage plan at the same time.

Medicare Advantage plans provide all the same benefits as Original Medicare. Medicare Advantage plans may also offer benefits that Original Medicare doesn’t cover.

Medicare Supplement Insurance does not offer any medical benefits or coverage for prescription drugs and other services. Medigap plans only cover certain Medicare Part A and Part B out-of-pocket costs as outlined above.

Medicare Supplement Insurance Plan A doesn’t cover everything

Medicare Supplement Insurance Plan A does not offer any coverage for the following Medicare costs:

Other Medicare Supplement Insurance plans may cover some or all of the benefits listed above, either partially or in full. Medicare Supplement Insurance Plan F, for example, covers all of them.

Learn More About Medicare Supplement Insurance

Medicare Supplement Insurance Plan A may or may not be right for your health care needs. Research all of the plans available where you live and speak with a licensed insurance agent to evaluate your needs.

Learn more about Medicare Supplement plans available where you live.

Speak with a licensed insurance agent

1-800-557-6059
|
TTY 711, 24/7
Christian Worstell

About the author

Christian Worstell is a senior Medicare and health insurance writer with MedicareAdvantage.com. He is also a licensed health insurance agent. Christian is well-known in the insurance industry for the thousands of educational articles he’s written, helping Americans better understand their health insurance and Medicare coverage.

..

Christian Worstell is a senior Medicare and health insurance writer with MedicareAdvantage.com. He is also a licensed health insurance agent. Christian is well-known in the insurance industry for the thousands of educational articles he’s written, helping Americans better understand their health insurance and Medicare coverage.

Christian’s work as a Medicare expert has appeared in several top-tier and trade news outlets including Forbes, MarketWatch, WebMD and Yahoo! Finance.

Christian has written hundreds of articles for MedicareAvantage.com that teach Medicare beneficiaries the best practices for navigating Medicare. His articles are read by thousands of older Americans each month. By better understanding their health care coverage, readers may hopefully learn how to limit their out-of-pocket Medicare spending and access quality medical care.

Christian’s passion for his role stems from his desire to make a difference in the senior community. He strongly believes that the more beneficiaries know about their Medicare coverage, the better their overall health and wellness is as a result.

A current resident of Raleigh, Christian is a graduate of Shippensburg University with a bachelor’s degree in journalism.

If you’re a member of the media looking to connect with Christian, please don’t hesitate to email our public relations team at Mike@tzhealthmedia.com.

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