Original Medicare includes two parts: A and B. The reason it is called Original Medicare is that Parts A and B used to be the only Medicare coverage available until they added Part C (Medicare Advantage) and Part D (prescription drugs) later on.
Medicare Part A helps pay for medically necessary care that requires a stay in the hospital or at a skilled nursing facility. It also covers hospice care for the terminally ill and some skilled home health care.
Medicare Part A is free if you or your spouse have paid into Social Security for 10 or more years. However, it does come with a deductible per hospital stay for each “benefit period.” This period begins when you are admitted to the hospital and ends when you have been out of the hospital for 60 days in a row. After that, what you pay changes depending on the length of your stay.
| Length of Hospital Stay | You Pay |
|---|---|
| Days 1-60 | $1,600 deductible, then nothing |
| Days 61-90 | $400 per day |
| After 91 Days | $800 per “lifetime reserve day” for each benefit period (up to 60 days over your lifetime) |
| Beyond Lifetime Reserve Days | All costs |
| No limit on out-of-pocket costs | |
Source: .
These coverage amounts are for 2023 and may change year over year.
Medicare Part B helps pay for medical care, including doctor office visits, lab tests and screenings, and some skilled nursing care at home, as well as the doctor services you receive when you are in the hospital.
Medicare Part B comes with a small deductible. You must also pay a monthly premium for Part B, which increases based on your income.
| Medicare Pay | You Pay |
|---|---|
| 80% of medical care costs (once deductible is met) | $226 Deductible |
| $164.90 monthly premium* | |
| Prescription Drug Coverage: Varies by Plan* | |
| 20% of all medical care (once deductible is met) | |
| No limit on out-of-pocket costs | |
Source: .
These coverage amounts are for 2023 and may change year over year.
*Can vary based on income and potentially how long you’ve been enrolled in the Medicare program.
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