Cost of Medicare Part A in 2026 and How It Works
Medicare Part A pays for hospital care. It's free for almost everyone.
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While you don't have a monthly rate with Part A, you do still have to pay part of your hospital bills. Medicare Part A is part of what's called "Original Medicare," along with Part B, which pays for medical care in doctors' offices.
What is Medicare Part A?
Medicare Part A is the part of Original Medicare that pays for hospital stays, skilled nursing facilities, hospice and home health care.
You get Medicare Part A automatically if you paid Social Security taxes through your job for at least 10 years. If you can get Medicare because of a disability, you automatically get Medicare Part A after getting Social Security disability benefits for 24 months. In both cases, you don't have to pay anything for Medicare Part A.
What does Medicare Part A cover?
Medicare Part A covers the medical care you get when you've been admitted to the hospital. This can include surgery and lab work, room and meal charges, nursing care and other hospital services and supplies.
Medicare Part A also covers:
- Skilled nursing facility care (SNF) care
- Hospice care
- Home health care
Ask your doctor if Medicare will cover your medical costs, such as doctor visits, hospital stays or wheelchairs. You may have to sign a form called an Advance Beneficiary Notice of Noncoverage (ABN) if your doctor doesn't think Medicare will pay for a service or product.
This form states that you may be responsible for the charges if Medicare doesn't cover them.
Medicare Part A costs in 2026
Medicare Part A is free for most people.
If you worked for at least 10 years, you'll get Medicare Part A for free because you paid Medicare taxes. You also get Part A for free if you can get Medicare because of a disability.
If you didn't pay Medicare taxes for at least 10 years, your Part A will have a monthly rate. Only about 1% of people with Medicare Part A have to pay for coverage.
Medicare Part A rates
Amount of time you worked | Monthly Part A rate |
|---|---|
| 10 years or more | Free |
| At least 7.5 years | $311 |
| Fewer than 7.5 years | $565 |
Medicare Part A deductible and coinsurance
Even though Part A is usually free each month, you have to pay toward your medical costs.
This comes in the form of a deductible and coinsurance when you have to stay in the hospital.
Health care costs with Medicare Part A
Hospital costs
Skilled nursing costs
Part A cost | 2026 amount |
|---|---|
| Hospital deductible | $1,736 |
| Daily hospital coinsurance days 0-60 | $0 |
| Daily hospital coinsurance days 61-90 | $434 |
| Daily hospital coinsurance days 91+ | $868 |
| Daily hospital costs after lifetime reserve days are used | You pay all costs |
Hospital costs
Part A cost | 2026 amount |
|---|---|
| Hospital deductible | $1,736 |
| Daily hospital coinsurance days 0-60 | $0 |
| Daily hospital coinsurance days 61-90 | $434 |
| Daily hospital coinsurance days 91+ | $868 |
| Daily hospital costs after lifetime reserve days are used | You pay all costs |
Skilled nursing costs
Part A cost | 2026 amount |
|---|---|
| Daily skilled nursing coinsurance days 0-100 | $0 |
| Daily skilled nursing coinsurance days 21-100 | $217 |
| Skilled nursing days 101+ | You pay all costs |
Unlike most health insurance deductibles, the Part A deductible doesn't reset based on the calendar year. Instead, it uses what's called a "Medicare benefit period" that begins the day you're admitted to the hospital and ends 60 days after you leave.
You have to pay the Part A deductible for each benefit period, even if you go into the hospital multiple times each year. So if you're admitted to the hospital in February and again in August, you have to pay the $1,736 deductible each time. But if you're admitted to a hospital or skilled nursing facility again within 60 days of leaving, the timer resets and you won't pay another deductible.
And if you're in the hospital for more than 60 days, you'll pay a fee for each day, called coinsurance.
Say you went into the hospital on March 1 and left on March 9. You'll pay your $1,736 deductible, but you don't have any coinsurance because you didn't stay longer than 60 days. You're readmitted two weeks later, on March 23. You don't have to pay the deductible again because you're still within your original 60-day benefit period.
Now, let's say you go into the hospital on March 1 and don't leave until May 15. That's a total hospital stay of 76 days. You'll pay the $1,736 deductible, but you won't have any daily coinsurance for the first 60 days of your stay. After that, you'll pay $434 per day for the remaining 16 days you're in the hospital. That means you'll pay a total of $8,680 for your hospital stay.
If you're admitted to the hospital again in November, you'll enter a new benefit period and have to pay the deductible again. If you're in the hospital for more than 90 days, your coinsurance goes up to $868 per day. These are called "lifetime reserve days," and you get 60 of them to use while you're on Medicare. Once you've used them, they're gone, and they don't replenish each year.
Medicare Part A eligibility and enrollment
Most people get Medicare Part A when they turn 65.
But you can also get Part A for a few other reasons:
- You're under age 65 and have a disability
- You have permanent kidney failure that requires a regular course of dialysis or a kidney transplant, also called end-stage renal disease (ESRD)
- You have Lou Gehrig's disease (ALS)
How you enroll in Part A depends on your situation.
If you're over 65 and getting Social Security
If you're 65 or older and you're already getting Social Security benefits or benefits from the Railroad Retirement Board, you'll automatically be signed up for Medicare Part A on the first of the month that you turn 65.
If you're over 65 but not getting Social Security
If you're 65 or older but don't get Social Security or Railroad Retirement Board benefits, you have to sign up for part A manually. You have seven months to do this, and it's called your "initial enrollment period." It starts three months before the month you turn 65, includes your birth month and ends three months after your birth month.
If you have a disability
If you have a disability, you'll be signed up for Part A automatically once you've gotten Social Security benefits for 24 months.
If you have ALS
If you have kidney failure or ALS, you'll get Part A automatically once your Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits start.
If you're not enrolled in Part A automatically, there are three times when you can sign up:
- Initial enrollment period: The initial enrollment period is a seven-month time span that starts three months before you turn 65. It continues through the month you turn 65 and the three months following your 65th birthday.
- Special enrollment period: You may be able to enroll in Medicare without paying extra during a special enrollment period (SEP) if you experience certain life events. For example, if you waited to enroll in Medicare because you have coverage through your or a spouse's workplace, you would qualify for a special enrollment period.
- General enrollment period: If you have to buy Medicare Part A and you don't qualify for a special enrollment period, you may have to wait for an open enrollment period to apply. This runs from Jan. 1 to March 31 each year. Your coverage would start the month after you sign up.
Part A late fees
If you qualify for free Part A and you are automatically enrolled or you sign up when you're first eligible, you won't pay a late fee.
However, if you have to buy Part A and don't get it as soon as you're able to, you might pay an extra 10% each month. You'll pay the fee for twice the number of years you were eligible but didn't sign up. For example, if you wait a year to get Part A even though you're eligible, you'll pay a late fee for two years.
Is there an alternative to Original Medicare?
Medicare Advantage is an alternative to Original Medicare, but it's not right for everyone.
These plans come from private insurance companies, not the government, and they bundle Parts A and B together and usually also include Part D prescription drug coverage. Medicare Advantage plans also usually have added perks, including dental and vision coverage.
Unlike Original Medicare, Medicare Advantage plans put a cap on your yearly medical bills, which can help save you money. But they also restrict you to a network of doctors. And if you choose Medicare Advantage when you first turn 65, you may find that you pay higher rates or can't afford to switch back to Original Medicare with a Medicare Supplement plan — which is usually a better combination of plans that pays for most of your medical bills — when you're older.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between Medicare Part A and Part B?
Medicare Part A covers your hospital costs, while Part B covers medical care you get in doctors' offices. Part A also covers skilled nursing care and hospice care. Together, Parts A and B make up what's called "Original Medicare."
Does Medicare Part A pay 100% of your hospital stay?
No, Part A does not pay for 100% of your hospital stay. You still have to pay the $1,736 deductible. If you're in the hospital for more than 60 days, you also have to start paying daily coinsurance of $434. If your stay lasts longer than 90 days, your coinsurance goes up.
Is Medicare Part A free at age 65?
Medicare Part A is free for almost everyone, including seniors. If you worked for 10 years or more, you paid enough Medicare taxes to qualify for premium-free Part A. You can also get Part A for free if you have a disability, kidney failure or ALS.
Do I need both Part A and Part B?
Yes, you probably need both Medicare Parts A and B. Part A covers hospital costs and Part B covers doctor visits. Together, they cover most of your medical costs. If you want even more coverage, you can add a Medigap plan to cover the costs that Parts A and B leave to you.
Sources
2026 benefit, cost and enrollment information found in this guide was sourced from Medicare.gov, CMS.gov and the Social Security website, SSA.gov.
Insurance Writer
Cate Deventer is a ValuePenguin writer who specializes in health insurance, Medicare, auto and home insurance. She's been a licensed insurance agent since 2011.
She started her insurance career working as a customer service agent for State Farm. She later moved to an independent agency, where she worked with several insurance companies and hundreds of clients. She quoted policies, filed claims and answered insurance questions. In 2021, she pivoted her career and began writing about insurance for Bankrate. She moved to ValuePenguin in 2023 and began writing about health insurance and Medicare.
Cate has a passion for helping readers choose insurance to fit their needs. She enjoys knowing that her research and knowledge help people choose insurance products that make a positive difference in their lives.
How insurance helped Cate
Cate used her health insurance knowledge to navigate a surgery in 2023. Understanding how her policy worked let her focus on recovery instead of worrying about bills.
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