---
title: "What Is Medicare Part A? Home Care Glossary | HomeCare.com"
description: "Medicare Part A is hospital insurance. It helps pay for inpatient hospital stays, skilled nursing facility care, hospice, and some home health care. Part A..."
url: https://homecare.preview.multisites.ai/glossary/medicare-part-a/
publisher: HomeCare.com
phone: 800-974-3458
start: https://care.homecare.com/?source=homecare.com
---

Paying for care

# Medicare Part A

Medicare Part A is hospital insurance. It helps pay for inpatient hospital stays, skilled nursing facility care, hospice, and some home health care. Part A and Part B together make up Original Medicare. Most people do not pay a monthly premium for Part A.

## Why it matters for your family

Part A can help after a hospital stay, such as a short rehab stay in a skilled nursing facility when a doctor says skilled care is medically needed. Medicare says this coverage can last up to 100 days, and only while skilled care is needed. Part A does not pay for ongoing custodial care. Picture a mother who has rehab after a hip fracture and returns home. Daily help with bathing and meals is not a Part A benefit. Many families learn this only after discharge. Plan for that gap before the hospital stay ends.

Source: [medicare.gov](https://www.medicare.gov/basics/get-started-with-medicare/medicare-basics/parts-of-medicare)

[Read more: What Medicare Doesn't Cover](https://homecare.preview.multisites.ai/home-care-resources/what-medicare-doesnt-cover/)

## Related terms

-   [**Medicare Part B**Medicare Part B is medical insurance.](https://homecare.preview.multisites.ai/glossary/medicare-part-b/)
-   [**Medicare home health benefit**The Medicare home health benefit pays for part-time or intermittent skilled care at home.](https://homecare.preview.multisites.ai/glossary/medicare-home-health-benefit/)
-   [**Skilled nursing facility (SNF)**A skilled nursing facility (SNF) is a Medicare-certified facility that provides nursing and therapy that only professionals can safely give.](https://homecare.preview.multisites.ai/glossary/skilled-nursing-facility/)
-   [**Custodial care**Custodial care is non-medical help with daily living, such as bathing, dressing, eating, and using the toilet.](https://homecare.preview.multisites.ai/glossary/custodial-care/)
-   [**Medicare coverage of custodial care**Custodial care is non-skilled personal care, such as help with bathing, dressing, eating, and using the bathroom.](https://homecare.preview.multisites.ai/glossary/medicare-coverage-of-custodial-care/)
-   [**Medicare Advantage (Part C)**Medicare Advantage, also called Part C, is a Medicare-approved health plan sold by a private company.](https://homecare.preview.multisites.ai/glossary/medicare-advantage/)

[All glossary terms](https://homecare.preview.multisites.ai/glossary/)

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