Part A

Medicare Part A

Medicare Part A is a hospital health insurance plan offered by Medicare through the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Medicare Part A coverage includes inpatient care in hospitals, skilled nursing homes, and critical access hospitals. This part of Medicare doesn’t include custodial or long-term care. However, those that meet the specific requirements can be eligible for hospice or limited home care.

Medicare Part A Eligibility

An individual is usually eligible for Medicare Part A if he or she meets the citizenship and residency requirements. Most importantly, the individual must be:
  • 65 or older
  • Receiving disability benefits from Social Security or the Railroad Retirement Board for at least two years
  • Receiving disability benefits because they have End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) and meet certain requirements
  • Receiving disability benefits because they have Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS)
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Services Covered by Medicare Part A

In general, Medicare Part A coverage includes:

Medicare Part A beneficiaries will receive coverage for hospital expenses necessary for their inpatient care, such as nursing services, semi-private rooms, medications, meals that are part of their inpatient treatment, and any other supplies and services from the hospital.

Skilled nursing facility care is covered under Medicare Part A, though you must qualify for a hospital inpatient stay for related injuries or illnesses. To be eligible for skilled nursing facility care, your hospital stay must be a minimum of three days.

These services are offered when deemed medically necessary and ordered by the beneficiary’s doctor. Some of the home health care services offered may include, but not limited to:
  • Physical therapy
  • Part-time or intermittent skilled nursing care
  • Occupational therapy
  • Speech-language pathology services
  • Medical social services
  • Durable medical equipment

Beneficiaries who have a certified terminal disease with about six months or less to live are usually eligible for hospice care coverage. When it comes to hospice care, the goal is to relieve the pain and not cure the disease. The services the patient usually receive include, but not limited to:

  • Nursing Care
  • Doctor services
  • Pain relief medications
  • Social services
  • Medical supplies
  • Medical equipment
  • Homemaker services
  • Hospice aide services
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Enrolling in Medicare Part A

Those that meet Medicare eligibility requirements at age 65 will be automatically enrolled in Medicare Part A. Medicare beneficiaries will receive enrollment care and information 2 to 3 months before their 65th birthday. Medicare beneficiaries who aren’t already receiving Social Security benefits or other retirement-related benefits when they turn 65 can enroll in Part A at their local Social Security office.

Any Medicare beneficiary that delays enrolling in Medicare after they turn 65 will have their coverage retroactive six months before the month they enroll. For those eligible to enroll for Medicare because of a disability, they will have their coverage retroactive for a year from the date of Medicare enrollment.

Need help or have more questions about Medicare Part A?

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