With original Medicare, you pay to use Part A services. If you go to a hospital, you will pay $1,100 for up to 60 days. If you need to stay in the hospital for up to another 30 days, your cost is $275 for days 61-90. Part A also covers another 60 days over the course of one's lifetime, and the co-pay for those days is another $550 per day. These costs add up. Hospital charges alone (not including Medicare Part B doctors costs) can add up to over $42,000 if you stay in the hospital for 150 days. If you had to stay longer, original Medicare Part A would not cover those costs. Most health insurance policies cover a good portion of these costs and protect you for a year or more of hospitalization.

Part A also covers skilled nursing and other inpatient services, which have additional costs associated with them. We recommend that no one go without either a Medicare Supplement (Medigap) or Medicare Advantage Plan to provide the peace of mind that they will be protected against unlimited financial exposure if they need to use Part A services. For free help navigating Medicare and choosing a health insurance policy that meets your needs, click here.

Hospitalization and inpatient services includes inpatient care in hospitals, critical access hospitals, skilled nursing facilities, hospice care, and some home health care. Nearly all medically necessary services are covered. For a detailed guide of what's covered, download the Your Medicare Benefits book here.

Part A premium