Medicare Part A in 2021: Costs and Coverage
- March 8, 2021
- Reviewed by John Krahnert
4 things to know about Medicare Part A:
- It is hospital insurance that covers inpatient hospital care and certain home care services.
- It is usually premium free if you or your spouse paid Medicare taxes while working.
- You must have Part A to enroll in Medicare Part B, Part C, or Part D.
- Part A hospital and skilled nursing facility coverage come with deductibles and coinsurance.
Medicare Part A provides hospital insurance coverage. It is one-half of Original Medicare, which consists of Part A and Part B.
Part A is premium free for most people, and you may be automatically enrolled when you turn 65.
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Benefits
Part A is considered hospital insurance. It covers a wide variety of services, including the following:
- Inpatient hospital care
- Hospice care
- Skilled nursing facility care
- Certain limited home health services
Costs
Medicare Part A costs come in the forms of premiums, deductibles, and coinsurance.
Medicare Part A premium
Most people do not have to pay a premium for Medicare Part A coverage. The Part A premium will be free if any of the following applies to you:
- You already get Social Security benefits or benefits from the Railroad Retirement Board (RRB).
- You are eligible for benefits through Social Security or the RRB but have not filed for them.
- You or your spouse had Medicare-covered government employment.
If you do have to pay the Part A premium, it can be up to $471 each month in 2021.
Medicare Part A deductibles and coinsurance
You may need to pay deductibles or copayments to get certain Part A services covered.
Hospital stay deductibles and copayment (2021):
- $1,484 deductible per benefit period
- First 60 days: No copayment
- Days 61-90: $371 copayment per day
- Days 90+: $742 copayment per "lifetime reserve day"
- Days 90+ if you have no reserve days: Medicare covers nothing
Skilled nursing facility stay deductibles and co-payments:
- First 20 days: No copayments
- Days 21-100: $185.50 co-payments per day
- Days 100+: Medicare covers nothing
About the author
Christian Worstell is a licensed insurance agent and a Senior Staff Writer for MedicareAdvantage.com. He is passionate about helping people navigate the complexities of Medicare and understand their coverage options.
His work has been featured in outlets such as Vox, MSN, and The Washington Post, and he is a frequent contributor to health care and finance blogs.
Christian is a graduate of Shippensburg University with a bachelor’s degree in journalism. He currently lives in Raleigh, NC.
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