Medicare covers most of the cost of a hospital stay, but not all of it, and the amount you pay depends on which part of Medicare you have and how long you stay.

If you have Medicare Part A, it pays for inpatient hospital care after you meet your deductible. Part A covers a semi-private room, meals, nursing care, medications given in the hospital, and basic medical equipment like wheelchairs or oxygen. It does not cover private rooms, television, phone calls, or items you bring from home.

The catch is that you pay money out of your own pocket at the start of each hospital stay. In 2024, that upfront cost (called the deductible) is $1,676 for each benefit period. A benefit period starts when you enter the hospital and ends 60 days after you leave without being readmitted. If you go back to the hospital more than 60 days later, you pay the deductible again.

After you pay the deductible, Medicare Part A covers all approved hospital costs for days 1 through 60 of your stay. From day 61 to day 90, you pay a daily amount (called coinsurance) — in 2024, that is $419 per day. If you stay longer than 90 days, you enter what Medicare calls "lifetime reserve days," and the cost goes up.

Key Takeaways

  • Medicare Part A covers inpatient hospital stays after you pay a deductible of $1,676 per benefit period in 2024, though this amount changes yearly.
  • You pay nothing for days 1 through 60 of a hospital stay once the deductible is met, but you pay coinsurance ($419 per day in 2024) for days 61 through 90.
  • Hospital stays longer than 90 days use lifetime reserve days, which have a higher daily cost and a limited total number available to you.
  • If you have a Medigap or Medicare Advantage plan in addition to Part A, your out-of-pocket costs may be lower because those plans often cover the deductible and coinsurance.

How the deductible and coinsurance work together

The deductible resets every benefit period, not every calendar year. A benefit period is tied to your hospital stay, not the calendar. If you are admitted to the hospital on March 15 and discharged on April 10, your benefit period runs from March 15 through June 14 (60 days after discharge). If you are readmitted on June 20, you start a new benefit period and owe a new deductible.

This matters because some people have multiple hospital stays in one calendar year and end up paying multiple deductibles. If you are hospitalized in January and again in December, you pay the deductible twice, even though both stays happened in the same year.

Once you pay the deductible, Medicare covers 100 percent of approved inpatient costs for the first 60 days. Starting on day 61, you begin paying coinsurance — a daily amount set by Medicare. In 2024, coinsurance is $419 per day for days 61 through 90. These amounts change each year, usually in October.

What happens if you stay longer than 90 days

If your hospital stay extends beyond 90 days, you enter the lifetime reserve days benefit. Medicare Part A gives you 60 lifetime reserve days total — not per year, but for your entire life. Once you use them, they are gone.

For each lifetime reserve day you use, you pay coinsurance of $839 per day in 2024. This is roughly double the coinsurance for days 61 through 90. If you use all 60 lifetime reserve days across multiple hospital stays in your life, Medicare stops covering inpatient hospital care after that point, and you pay the full cost yourself.

Very few people need hospital stays long enough to use lifetime reserve days. These days are mainly relevant if you have a serious illness or injury that requires extended hospitalization, or if you have multiple long stays over many years.

How Medigap and Medicare Advantage change what you pay

Many people have a second insurance plan alongside Medicare Part A. Medigap (supplemental insurance) and Medicare Advantage (Part C) both reduce your out-of-pocket hospital costs, but in different ways.

Medigap plans are sold by private insurers and are designed to cover costs that Medicare Part A does not. Some Medigap plans pay your Part A deductible, coinsurance, and even some of your lifetime reserve day costs. Which costs are covered depends on which Medigap plan letter you have (Plan A, Plan B, Plan G, and so on). If you have Medigap Plan G, for example, it covers your Part A deductible and coinsurance, so a hospital stay costs you nothing out of pocket.

Medicare Advantage plans (Part C) are an alternative to Original Medicare. They are run by private insurance companies and usually have lower premiums than Original Medicare plus Medigap. However, they often have higher out-of-pocket costs during a hospital stay — you may pay a copay per day or a copay per admission. The exact amount depends on your plan. Medicare Advantage plans also have network restrictions, meaning you may pay more if you use an out-of-network hospital.

What Medicare Part A does not cover during a hospital stay

Medicare Part A covers the medical care you receive in the hospital, but it does not cover everything related to your stay. It does not pay for a private room unless medically necessary, television or phone service, personal care items, or transportation to and from the hospital.

Part A also does not cover care in a hospital that is not accredited by Medicare, or care that Medicare determines was not medically necessary. If a doctor orders a test or procedure that Medicare later decides was not needed, you may be billed for that cost.

If you receive care from a doctor who does not accept Medicare assignment (meaning they do not agree to Medicare's payment rates), you may owe the difference between what Medicare pays and what the doctor charges. This is called balance billing, and it can add significantly to your costs.

How to find out your exact costs before admission

Your hospital costs depend on your specific situation: which Medicare plan you have, whether you have Medigap or Medicare Advantage, how long you stay, and whether you have already met your deductible this benefit period.

Before a planned hospital stay, call your Medicare plan or your Medigap insurer and ask them to estimate your out-of-pocket costs. Tell them the hospital name, the expected length of stay, and the reason for admission. They can tell you whether you have already paid your deductible this year, what your coinsurance will be, and whether your Medigap or Medicare Advantage plan covers those costs.

For emergency admissions, you can make this call after you arrive at the hospital or the next day. Hospital billing departments can also help estimate your costs, though they may not have access to your insurance details — your insurance company is the most reliable source.

What to do if you receive a bill you think is wrong

After you are discharged, you will receive an Explanation of Benefits (EOB) from Medicare showing what the hospital charged and what Medicare paid. Review this carefully. Check that the dates of admission and discharge are correct, that the hospital name matches where you actually stayed, and that the charges seem reasonable for the care you received.

If you see a charge you do not recognize or believe is incorrect, contact the hospital's billing department first. Ask them to explain the charge. If you still disagree, you have the right to appeal. Medicare has a formal appeal process, and your Medigap or Medicare Advantage plan may also have one.

Keep all paperwork from your hospital stay — your admission forms, discharge summary, and any bills or EOBs. These documents are essential if you need to dispute a charge or prove you paid what you owed.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I have to pay the deductible every time I go to the hospital?

You pay the deductible once per benefit period, not once per hospital visit. A benefit period lasts 60 days after you leave the hospital. If you are readmitted more than 60 days later, a new benefit period starts and you owe a new deductible. If you are readmitted within 60 days, you do not pay another deductible.

What if I do not have Part A — does Medicare cover my hospital stay?

No. Medicare Part A is what covers inpatient hospital care. If you did not enroll in Part A when you first became may be able to access for Medicare, you may have a gap in coverage. You can enroll in Part A during the General Enrollment Period (January 1 through March 31 each year), but you may owe a penalty if you delayed enrollment without a valid reason.

Does Medicare cover a hospital stay if I am admitted through the emergency room?

Yes, as long as the hospital admits you as an inpatient. If you go to the emergency room but are treated and released the same day (called observation status), Medicare Part B covers the emergency room visit, but Part A does not cover an inpatient stay. This distinction matters because observation status usually costs you more out of pocket than inpatient admission.

Can I use my lifetime reserve days if I have Medicare Advantage instead of Original Medicare?

Medicare Advantage plans must cover at least as much as Original Medicare, but they do not use the same deductible and coinsurance structure. Instead, they have their own copays and out-of-pocket limits. Lifetime reserve days do not explore to Medicare Advantage plans in the same way they do to Original Medicare.

What happens to my hospital costs if I switch insurance plans mid-year?

If you switch from Original Medicare to Medicare Advantage or vice versa, your deductible and out-of-pocket costs reset with the new plan. Any deductible you paid under your old plan does not carry over. This is one reason to be careful about switching plans during the year — you may end up paying multiple deductibles.