Medicare Part A costs are changing in 2026, and understanding those changes can help you avoid unexpected hospital bills. Medicare Part A covers inpatient hospital care, skilled nursing facility care, hospice care, and some home health services. Below, we outline Medicare Part A costs for 2026, including deductibles, coinsurance, and premiums, so you know what to expect and can plan accordingly.
Understanding the costs of Medicare Part A in 2026 is essential for budgeting your healthcare expenses. According to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, here’s what you’ll pay in 2026:
| Cost Type | 2026 Amount | 2025 Amount | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Part A Deductible (per benefit period) | $1,736 | $1,676 | + $60 |
| Inpatient Hospital Coinsurance (Days 1-60) | $0 | $0 | No change |
| Inpatient Hospital Coinsurance (Days 61-90) | $434 per day | $419 per day | + 15 per day |
| Lifetime Reserve Days (Days 91-150) | $868 per day | $838 per day | + 30 per day |
| Skilled Nursing Facility (Days 1-20) | $0 | $0 | No change |
| Skilled Nursing Facility (Days 21-100) | $217 per day | $209.50 per day | + $7.50 per day |
| Home Health Care | $0 | $0 | No change |
| Hospice Care | $0 | $0 | No change |
| Part A Premium (30-39 quarters of coverage) | $311 per month | $285 per month | + 26 per month |
| Part A Premium (less than 30 quarters) | $0 | $0 | No change |
You are eligible for premium-free Medicare Part A if you are aged 65 or older and:
Those who meet these requirements have what’s called premium-free Part A, meaning they pay no monthly premium for their hospital insurance coverage. Most beneficiaries qualify for premium-free Part A, though everyone pays a separate Part B premium.
If you don’t qualify for premium-free Part A, you can still buy Part A, but you’ll pay a monthly premium for Medicare Part A coverage. According to Medicare.gov, it could cost you up to $565 per month in 2026, depending on how many quarters you or your spouse worked:
Those who do not qualify for premium-free Part A will typically pay a monthly or quarterly premium.
If you don’t qualify for premium-free Medicare Part A and delay enrolling when you’re first eligible, your monthly premium may increase by 10%. You’ll pay this higher amount for twice as many years as you delayed enrollment.
While Medicare Part A premiums are fixed amounts for those who must pay them, it’s worth noting that other Medicare costs can be higher depending on your income. The Income-Related Monthly Adjustment Amount (IRMAA) applies to Medicare Part B and Part D for higher-income beneficiaries, but it does not affect Part A premiums. Understanding both Part A and Part B premium costs is important for complete Medicare planning, though this article focuses specifically on Part A expenses.
Agent tip:
“Medicare Part A costs reset by benefit period, not by calendar year, so multiple hospital stays can mean multiple deductibles. Reviewing your coverage early can help you avoid unexpected out-of-pocket costs.”
According to Medicare.gov, the 2026 Medicare Part A deductible is $1,736 per benefit period. Unlike many private insurance plans that have a single annual deductible, Medicare Part A’s deductible resets with each benefit period, which means you may pay it multiple times per year.
A benefit period begins the day you are admitted for an inpatient hospital stay or to a skilled nursing facility (SNF), and ends when you haven’t received inpatient hospital or SNF care for 60 days in a row.
Important: A calendar year may include multiple benefit periods, so the $1,736 deductible resets and must be paid again each time you re-enter the hospital after a 60-day break.
This is one of the most important things to understand about Medicare Part A coverage. As the Medicare Rights Center explains, unlike private insurance or Medicare Advantage plans, there’s no cap on what you could pay in a year for Medicare Part A health care services.
If you have a serious health event requiring:
Your costs could add up quickly with no limit.
Consider a serious medical situation requiring:
Total Part A costs: $23,002 — with no annual maximum to protect you.
Given the unlimited out-of-pocket exposure with Original Medicare, many beneficiaries choose additional coverage to protect themselves from the financial risks outlined above.
According to Medicare.gov, Medicare Supplement plans work alongside your Part A and Part B coverage to help pay some of the out-of-pocket costs that Original Medicare doesn’t cover. These plans can help with:
You’ll pay a monthly premium for Medicare Supplement coverage in addition to your Part B premium, but this can provide significant financial protection during serious health events. Premiums may be higher depending on your income, age, location, and the plan you choose.
Medicare Advantage plans are an alternative to Original Medicare that combine Part A and Part B coverage (and often Part D prescription drug coverage) into one plan. According to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, key benefits include:
However, Medicare Advantage plans typically require you to use network providers and may have prior authorization requirements for certain services.
The choice between Original Medicare with a Supplement plan or Medicare Advantage depends on your:
According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, both options can significantly reduce your financial risk compared to Original Medicare alone.
Medicare Part A provides essential hospital coverage in 2026, but it includes deductibles and daily coinsurance and does not have an out-of-pocket maximum. Costs reset at the start of each benefit period, which can increase expenses if you’re hospitalized more than once in a year. Understanding these rules can help you determine whether additional coverage is worth considering.
Call (623) 223-8884 today for no-cost personalized Medicare guidance.
Free, unbiased service
Compare all major plans and carriers
Local, licensed insurance agents with 25+ years of experience
In 2026, the Medicare Part A deductible is $1,736 per benefit period. You may have to pay it more than once a year if you have multiple hospital stays separated by 60 days or more.
Medicare Part A is based on benefit periods, not calendar years. Each new benefit period starts a new deductible if you’re admitted after being out of the hospital or a skilled nursing facility for 60 days in a row.
No. Original Medicare does not have an annual out-of-pocket maximum, so there’s no yearly limit on what you may pay for deductibles and coinsurance.
A benefit period starts the day you’re admitted as an inpatient and ends after you’ve been out of the hospital or skilled nursing facility for 60 days in a row. You may have more than one benefit period in a year, which may result in paying the deductible multiple times.
Premium-free Medicare Part A is available to most people when you or your spouse contributed Medicare taxes for 10 or more years (40 quarters). If you don’t meet this requirement, you may need to pay the full monthly premium.
Yes, even though Part A is premium-free for most people, there is cost sharing. This includes the Part A deductible and coinsurance for extended hospital stays.
Read more by Renee van Staveren
Since 2009, I've been writing about complicated, technical issues, with the goal of making topics like Medicare and healthcare easier to understand. I've been writing about Medicare since 2021 and healthcare since 2019. I am an AmeriCorps alumni. I enjoy gardening, reading, and DIYing.
Call Now
