What Is Medicare Part A?

Medicare Part A is the hospital insurance portion of Original Medicare. It helps pay for inpatient hospital stays, skilled nursing facility care, hospice, and certain home health services.

Most people qualify for premium-free Part A at age 65 if they or their spouse paid Medicare taxes for at least 10 years (40 quarters) of work. If you don't qualify for premium-free Part A, you can still buy it by paying a monthly premium.

Even though Part A is typically premium-free, it still has a deductible for each hospital benefit period and coinsurance for longer stays. Understanding these out-of-pocket costs is key to deciding whether you need supplemental coverage.

Part A is automatic for most people already collecting Social Security at 65. If you're not collecting Social Security yet, you'll need to actively enroll during your Initial Enrollment Period to avoid potential gaps in coverage.