Medicare.gov

Inpatient hospital care

Medicare Part A (Hospital Insurance)

 covers inpatient hospital care if you meet both of these conditions:

  • You’re admitted to the hospital as an inpatient after an official doctor’s order, which says you need inpatient hospital care to treat your illness or injury
  • The hospital accepts Medicare

Your costs in Original Medicare

Note

Your doctor or other health care provider may recommend you get services more often than Medicare covers. Or, they may recommend services that Medicare doesn’t cover. If this happens, you may have to pay some or all of the costs. Ask questions so you understand why your doctor is recommending certain services and if, or how much, Medicare will pay for them.

You pay this for each benefit period :

  • $1,600  deductible
  • Days 1–60: $0
  • Days 61–90: A $400 copayment each day 
  • Days 91 and beyond: An $800 copayment per each " lifetime reserve day " after day 90 (up to 60 days over your lifetime) 
  • Each day after lifetime reserve days: All costs
Hospitals are now required to make public the standard charges for all of their items and services (including the standard charges negotiated by Medicare Advantage Plans) to help you make more informed decisions about your care.

What it is

Medicare-covered inpatient hospital services include:

  • Semi-private rooms
  • Meals
  • General nursing
  • Drugs (including methadone to treat an opioid use disorder)
  • Other hospital services and supplies as part of your inpatient treatment

Medicare doesn't cover:

  • Private-duty nursing
  • Private room (unless medically necessary)
  • Television or phone in your room (if there's a separate charge for these items)
  • Personal care items (like razors or slipper socks)

Things to know

Inpatient mental health care in a psychiatric hospital is limited to 190 days in a lifetime.

Inpatient hospital care includes care you get in:

  • Acute care hospitals
  • Critical access hospitals
  • Inpatient rehabilitation facilities
  • Inpatient psychiatric facilities
  • Long-term care hospitals

It also includes inpatient care you get as part of a qualifying clinical research study.

If you also have Part B, it generally covers 80% of the Medicare-approved amount for doctor’s services you get while you’re in a hospital.

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