May 19, 2011
Medicare Part A
What is Medicare Part A?
Part A is one of the four major types of insurance coverage within the government's Medicare program. Generally speaking, Part A provides inpatient hospital insurance coverage. Most people are eligible to enroll in Medicare Part when they turn 65 years old.
Most citizens, or permanent U.S. residents, over the age of 65 are eligible for free Part A insurance. Citizens or permanent U.S. residents with 39 quarters or less of Medicare-covered employment will pay a monthly premium of $248 if they've had between 30 and 39 quarters of Medicare-covered employment. Citizens or permanent U.S. residents with less than that amount pay a $450 monthly premium for Medicare Part A coverage.
What does Medicare Part A Cover?
Part A coverage includes:
- Inpatient care received at a hospital or skilled nursing facility
- Hospice care (e.g. symptom management, pain relief, etc.)
- At-home health services (e.g. part-time skilled nursing care, physical therapy, etc.)
- Inpatient care received at a religious non-medical healthcare facility
- Blood transfusions after you pay for the first three pints used within a calendar year
Alongside understanding the program's benefits, it is important to understand the limitations of Part A's coverage. These limitations include:
- For 2011, there was a deductible of $1,132 during the first 60 days of each benefit period, as well as co-insurance amount of $283 a day for days 61-90 of hospital stays and $566 a day for days 91-150 of hospital stays.
- During a hospital stay, Part A does not pay the annual Part A deductible amount, the co-insurance amount after 60 days of being hospitalized for any one benefit period, the cost of the first three pints of blood, and medical expenses when traveling abroad.
- During a stay in a skilled nursing facility, Part A does not pay the co-insurance amount for each day after 20 days ($141.50 for days 21-100)
- For home health care, Part A does not pay anything for non-medical personal care services and does not pay 20% of the approved cost of medical equipment or non-skilled care
Qualifying Conditions For People Under 65
While most people associate Medicare with the elderly, there are a collection of medical conditions and disabilities that can qualify a person for Medicare. They include:
- Blindness
- End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD)
- ALS/Lou Gehrig's Disease
Currently, over 7 million people under the age of 65 are enrolled in Medicare.
