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You might be retired or almost retiring and haven’t given much thought to Medicare. Like a lot of people, the different Medicare “parts” might have you confused and wondering what exactly is covered by each. Here, we look one the most basic option for Medicare: Medicare Part A.
Also referred to as hospital insurance, Medicare Part A covers health care services such as inpatient care, hospice care, and skilled nursing facilities among others.
Before taking a closer look at Medicare Part A, it is quite important to mention all the parts in order to put Part A in context. The four parts of Medicare are as hospital insurance also know as Part A, medical insurance also know as Part B, Medicare Advantage which is also know as Part C, and prescription drug insurance (Part D). Put together, Part A and Part B are referred to as Original Medicare. With that in mind, let’s take a look at Medicare Insurance Part A specifically.
In general terms, Medicare Part A covers five major health care services. The first and main one is hospital care, which includes services such as drugs, general nursing care, meals, semi-private rooms, etc. Private rooms are not included unless they are deemed to be absolutely necessary. Personal care items and phone call charges are also not covered by hospital care.
Skilled nursing care benefits are available for Medicare Insurance Part A plans, albeit for limited periods. Nursing home is also available in cases where it is medically necessary. Daily living activities such as laundry, personal care, etc. are not inclusive.
Medicare Part will cover hospice care if you suffer from terminal illness with six months or less to live and you want palliative care. Note that when you opt to receive hospice care, Medicare will stop paying for treatments.
The last main health care service offered by Medicare part A is home health care, which includes physical therapy, intermittent home-administered skilled nursing care, speech-language pathology services, etc. Round-the-clock in-home care is not inclusive, nor are home delivery of meals, personal care activities, and housekeeping services.
Medicare Part A is available for most people at no cost. It is free if either you or your wife or husband has paid Medicare taxes for at least 10 years (40 quarters) work. Otherwise, you are required to pay a monthly premium of up to $413 to be covered.
Note that even if you are not required to pay monthly premiums, the health insurance plan is not entirely free. To enjoy the benefits, you may still be required to pay deductibles for stays in hospitals and skilled nursing facilities.
These deductible are not applicable for hospice care or home healthcare facilities. However, some incidental charges may be applicable. Examples include a $5 (or less) copayment for hospice care prescription drugs and 20% of the durable medical equipment amount that is approved by Medicare.
It is advisable to carefully review all the terms included in Medicare Part A plan offered in your state or region. Research and seek advice to help you determine how best to tailor your Medicare to fit your health insurance needs.
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