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
Read more: What Medicare Doesn't Cover
Related terms
- Medicare Part BMedicare Part B is medical insurance.
- Medicare home health benefitThe Medicare home health benefit pays for part-time or intermittent skilled care at home.
- 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.
- Custodial careCustodial care is non-medical help with daily living, such as bathing, dressing, eating, and using the toilet.
- Medicare coverage of custodial careCustodial care is non-skilled personal care, such as help with bathing, dressing, eating, and using the bathroom.
- Medicare Advantage (Part C)Medicare Advantage, also called Part C, is a Medicare-approved health plan sold by a private company.
