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What does Medicare Part A cover?

What does Medicare Part A cover?

Coverage
Last updated: 
April 10, 2026
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The short answer

Medicare Part A covers inpatient hospital stays, skilled nursing facility care after a qualifying hospital stay, some home health services, and hospice care. It generally does not cover doctor visits, outpatient care, or prescription drugs.

The full explanation

Part A is often called hospital insurance, and that's a fair description. It covers the cost of being admitted to a hospital as an inpatient, meaning you've been formally admitted by a doctor, not just kept for observation. This distinction matters because observation stays are billed differently and may not trigger Part A coverage. Part A also covers short-term care in a skilled nursing facility, but only after a qualifying hospital stay of at least three days, and only for skilled services like physical therapy or wound care, not just help with daily activities. Home health care is covered in limited circumstances, mainly when you're homebound and need skilled nursing or therapy. Hospice care for people with a terminal illness is also covered under Part A. Most people don't pay a premium for Part A if they or their spouse worked and paid Medicare taxes for at least 10 years. However, there are still cost-sharing expenses, including a deductible for each benefit period and daily coinsurance for longer hospital stays. These amounts change each year, so it's worth checking current figures at medicare.gov or with a licensed agent.

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In 

Ohio

 specifically

Ohio residents can get free Medicare counseling through the Ohio Senior Health Insurance Information Program, which can help with plan comparisons, enrollment timing, and cost assistance questions.

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What this means for you

For you, this means Part A has you covered for serious hospital events, but it won't help with regular doctor visits or prescriptions, so most people need additional coverage through Part B, a Medigap plan, or a Medicare Advantage plan to fill those gaps.

Related Questions

What does Medicare Part B cover?

What is the Part A deductible?

What does Medicare cover for skilled nursing facility care?

What does Medicare cover for home health and hospice?

Why was my hospital stay billed as observation instead of inpatient?

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Planning Medicare Savings Program Eligibility Whether your income qualifies you for help paying Medicare premiums and cost-sharing

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