Medicare Part A
Medicare Part A is your hospitalization insurance. Part A covers inpatient hospital room and board, skilled nursing facility care, some home health care services, hospice, and blood. While the premium for Part A is free for most people, there are copays and deductibles for services as shown in the chart below. These deductibles and copays became effective 1 January 2017. These can change from year to year.
| When you are hospitalized for: | Medicare Covers | You Pay |
|---|---|---|
| 1-60 Days | Most confinement costs after the required Medicare deductible | $1316 Deductible |
| 61-90 Days | All eligible expenses after patient pays a per-day copayment | $329 a day copayment |
| 91-150 Days | All eligible expenses after patient pays a per day copayment (These are Lifetime Reserve Days that may never be used again.) | $658 a day |
| 151 days or more | NOTHING | You pay all costs |
| Skilled Nursing Confinement: Following an inpatient hospital stay of at least 3 days and enter a Medicare-approved skilled nursing facility within 30 days after hospital discharge and receive skilled nursing care | All eligible expenses for the first 20 days; then all eligible expenses for days 21-100 after patient pays a per-day copayment | $164.50 a day after first 20 days |
As you can see, Medicare provides some decent coverage. It also has some large gaps that could leave you with some large bills without some additional coverage. The additional coverage be added for negligible costs depending on your situation. Medicare Advantage plans and Medicare supplement plans can help reduce or eliminate the risk of you getting hit with a large medical bill.
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Medicare Information
The booklets below are provided by the government and have a lot of valuable information.
Enrolling in Medicare
Valuable information about who should apply for Medicare, when you should apply, and how to apply.
2017 Medicare & You
This booklet provides up to date information on Medicare benefits and costs.
Choosing a Medigap PolicyInformation about Medicare Supplement plans and tips for choosing the one that best fits your needs.