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What is Medicare Part A
(hospital care insurance)?
Like a jigsaw puzzle, Medicare is made of different pieces that fit together to provide health coverage for Medicare beneficiaries. The various pieces of Medicare coverage are Medicare Part A, Part B, Part C, Part D, and Supplemental. Each piece covers different types of benefits, and trying to understand all the parts at once can be a daunting task. So, here’s a look at what Medicare Part A covers.
What Medicare Part A covers
Medicare Part A is hospital insurance. It covers some of the cost of inpatient care services received in hospitals, which can include:
• Inpatient care in a hospital
• Skilled nursing facility (SNF) care that is medically necessary (like changing sterile dressings)
• Hospice care for patients with a terminal illness with an estimated six months or less to live (patients must meet a specific set of conditions to qualify for hospice care)
• Some home health services when certain conditions are met, and a doctor has certified the patient to be homebound
Note about nursing homes: Most nursing home care is custodial care (bathing, dressing, using the bathroom, and eating). Medicare doesn’t cover custodial care if it’s the only care needed. If it is medically necessary for a patient to have skilled nursing care (like changing sterile dressings), Medicare Part A may cover care in a skilled nursing facility, as noted above.
Find out what else Medicare Part A covers.