Here is what Medicare Part A Hospital Insurance covers:

• Inpatient Hospital Care
• Skilled Nursing Care
• Stays at Skilled Nursing Facilities (short-term)
• Home Health Care
• Hospice Care

In addition:

• Part A also includes inpatient care in a religious non-medical health care institution.
• Blood is also a Part A covered service. You will have to pay for the first three units of blood that you use. However, if the blood is donated free to the hospital or donated to you, then you do not have to pay for it.

What Medicare Part A Will Not Cover

Medicare Part A or Part B will not cover custodial, long-term care, nursing home or assisted living facilities. Click here to read more about ways to cover these costs.

Will Medicare Cover My Costs?

• If you have a specific procedure you want to look into, you can use the CMS’s government search tool here.

• Additionally, the Government has an app for coverage questions! You can find it on Google Play, or on the Apple App Store. “What’s Covered” is the name of the app in each store.

• Finally, you can use the Medicare and You Guidebook. CMS produces it every year. So, you can see what Part A covers and does not cover. In addition, you can see coverage for any other part of Medicare there too.

How Do I Know if I am Signed-up for Medicare Part A?

Part A and B are separate in Original Medicare, and you can be signed-up for one and not the other. First, to see if you are signed-up for Part A, you can check your Medicare Card. If you are signed-up, it will say “Hospital” and then have an effective date listed right on the card.

In addition, if you are a part of a Medicare Advantage Program, they you are also already signed-up for Part A. This is a prerequisite for join a Medicare Advantage (aka Part C) plan.

For More on What Medicare Part A Covers & the Other Parts of Medicare

Please Read:

• The Four Parts of Medicare Explained
• The Medicare and You User Guide
• Does Medicare Cover Hearing Aids?
• What is Medicare Advantage?
• What are Medicare Supplements (Medigap) Plans?

The post What Medicare Part A Covers appeared first on Medicare Life Health.

Medicare has four different parts: Medicare Part A B C D. Each of these parts serve a different function in our national health care system for seniors.

As an overview of Medicare:

• Medicare Part A covers hospital insurance
• Part B covers medical insurance
• Medicare Part C is also known as Medicare Advantage
• Part D is Prescription Drug Coverage

Here is More Detail on in our Medicare Parts A B C & D Infographic

Original Medicare Components

Parts A & B come together to form “Original Medicare.” We have a detailed article on Original Medicare for you to read here.

If you are interested in the costs associated with Original Medicare Parts A and B, please visit our article “How Much Does Medicare Cost?“

Medicare Part A Hospital Insurance Covers

Part A is dedicated to Hospital Insurance and covers care for…

• Inpatient Hospital
• Skilled Nursing Facilities
• Hospice
• Home Health

When you visit the hospital, Medicare will help you pay for the above services. However, Original Medicare does not pay for all of it. There are copayments, coinsurance, or deductibles may apply to each service. This is why most Medicare Beneficiaries will supplement Original Medicare with either a Supplement (Medigap) plan or a Medicare Advantage Plan.

Remember, Medicare does not cover Long-Term Care costs such as Nursing Home or Assisted Living Expenses.

Medicare Part B Medical Insurance Covers

Part B consists of Medical Insurance and covers the care of…

• Outpatient
• Home Health
• Doctors
• Health Care Providers
• Durable Medical Equipment
• Prevention

Again, Medicare will only cover some of these costs. You will also have copayments /coinsurance / deductibles that accompany these services. We highly recommend finding a Med Sup or Med Advantage plan to help you pay for the extra costs.

Additional Components of Medicare

Now that you understand the components of Original Medicare (Parts A & B), let’s look at the two additional parts of Medicare – Parts D and C – Drug Coverage and Medicare Advantage.

Medicare Part D Prescription Drug Insurance Covers

Part D is regulated by the government but handled by private insurance companies. This part includes care for…

• Prescription Drugs
• Covered Vaccines

To learn more about Part D Prescription Drug Coverage, please read our article about it here.

Medicare Part C – Also Known as Medicare Advantage (MA/MAPD)

MA / MAPD Plans are becoming more popular and more accessible to Medicare Beneficiaries all over the United States. Moreover, as more and more people are joining them, they are becoming very affordable options.

These plans offer additional benefits and services to what Original Medicare can offer such as dental benefits, vision benefits and hearing benefits. They also often include wellness benefits such as free gym memberships.

Read this article to learn even more about Medicare Advantage.

Medicare Parts A B C D Further Reading

If you would like the Parts of Medicare explained in even more detail, we shall direct you to our review of Medicare and You 2020. This is a User’s Guide to the government’s Medicare and You 2020 Handbook which has the yearly updates for what is available in the current plan year. In this case, 2020, when our article was published.

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