What You Pay Out of Pocket for Medicare Part A and Part B

How Medicare Part A and Part B deductibles work

A deductible is the amount you pay out of your own pocket before Medicare starts to pay its share. Medicare Part A and Part B each have their own separate deductible, and they do not combine — you meet them independently.

For 2024, the Part A deductible is $1,676 per benefit period for hospital stays. The Part B deductible is $240 per calendar year. These amounts change each January, so the figures for 2025 and beyond will be different. You can find the current year's deductible on Medicare.gov or by calling 1-800-MEDICARE.

After you meet the deductible for each part, Medicare pays its portion of covered services, though you may still owe copayments or coinsurance (a percentage of the cost). The deductible resets on different schedules depending on which part you are using.

Key Takeaways

Part A has a deductible per hospital benefit period (not per calendar year), while Part B has a deductible per calendar year that resets January 1st.
Part A and Part B deductibles are separate — meeting one does not count toward the other.
After you meet the deductible, you still owe copayments or coinsurance for most services.
Deductible amounts increase each year, so check Medicare.gov or call 1-800-MEDICARE to confirm the current year's amounts.

Understanding Part A deductibles and benefit periods

Part A covers hospital stays, skilled nursing facility care, hospice, and home health services. The deductible applies to hospital inpatient stays and is tied to a benefit period, not a calendar year.

A benefit period begins the day you enter the hospital and ends 60 days after you leave without receiving any hospital or skilled nursing care. If you are readmitted within those 60 days, you are still in the same benefit period and do not owe another deductible. If you are readmitted after 60 days have passed, a new benefit period begins and you owe the deductible again.

Home health services and hospice covered by Part A do not have a deductible — you pay nothing out of pocket for these services if you meet the medical requirements. Skilled nursing facility care has a different cost structure: after you meet the Part A deductible for your hospital stay, you pay a daily coinsurance amount (not a deductible) for days 21 through 100 of your stay.

Understanding Part B deductibles and when they reset

Part B covers doctor visits, outpatient care, medical equipment, and preventive services. The Part B deductible resets every January 1st and applies to most services except preventive care.

Once you meet the Part B deductible in a calendar year, Medicare begins to pay its share (usually 80 percent) of covered services, though you still owe the remaining 20 percent as coinsurance. Some preventive services — like annual wellness visits, cancer screenings, and vaccinations — are covered at no cost even before you meet the deductible.

If you see a doctor in December and then again in January, you may owe the deductible twice in two months — once for the December visit (if you had not met it yet that year) and once for the January visit (when the new year's deductible resets). This is why some people schedule services strategically near the end or beginning of the year.

What happens after you meet the deductible

Meeting the deductible does not mean Medicare covers everything. After you pay the deductible, you typically owe coinsurance — a percentage of the cost — for most services. For Part B, this is usually 20 percent of the approved amount after the deductible is met.

For hospital stays under Part A, after you meet the deductible, Medicare covers all covered costs for days 1 through 60 of your hospital stay. On days 61 through 90, you owe a daily coinsurance amount. Beyond day 90, you have access to "lifetime reserve days" (a limited pool of additional hospital days), but you owe a higher daily coinsurance for those days.

If you have a Medigap (supplemental insurance) or Medicare Advantage plan, that plan may cover some or all of your deductible and coinsurance costs. Check your plan documents or call your plan to understand what you owe.

How Medigap and Medicare Advantage plans affect your deductible

If you have a Medigap (supplemental) plan, that plan may pay your Part A and Part B deductibles for you. Some Medigap plans cover the full deductible, while others cover part of it or none at all. The specific coverage depends on which Medigap plan (A through N) you have chosen.

If you have a Medicare Advantage plan instead of Original Medicare, you have a different deductible structure. Medicare Advantage plans set their own deductibles, which may be higher or lower than Original Medicare's deductibles. Some Medicare Advantage plans have no deductible at all. You should review your plan's Summary of Benefits to see what your deductible is and when it resets.

If you switch from Original Medicare to Medicare Advantage or vice versa, your deductible resets according to your new plan's rules. This is one reason to review your coverage each year during the annual enrollment period (October 15 to December 7).

Tracking your deductible throughout the year

You are responsible for keeping track of how much you have paid toward your deductible. Medicare sends you an Explanation of Benefits (EOB) after each service, which shows what you paid and what counts toward your deductible.

You can also check your deductible status online through your Medicare account at Medicare.gov. Log in with your username and password, go to "Claims," and look for information about what you have paid and what you still owe. If you do not have an online account, you can create one or call 1-800-MEDICARE to ask about your deductible balance.

Keep your EOBs and receipts in a folder so you can verify the amounts Medicare reports. If you see an error — for example, if a service was supposed to be free but you were charged — you can dispute it by calling the phone number on your EOB.

Questions to ask your doctor or Medicare

Before you have a service, ask your doctor's office whether the service is covered by Medicare and whether it counts toward your deductible. Ask whether the doctor is in-network with Medicare (accepts Medicare assignment) or out-of-network, because this affects what you owe.

If you are unsure whether you have met your deductible, call 1-800-MEDICARE and have your Medicare card ready. You can also ask Medicare whether a specific service will be covered before you receive it — this is called a beneficiary notice of noncoverage, and it protects you from unexpected bills.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use my Part A deductible to count toward Part B?

No. Part A and Part B deductibles are completely separate. You must meet each one independently. Paying your Part A deductible does not reduce what you owe for your Part B deductible, and vice versa.

What if I do not use any Medicare services in a year?

Your deductible does not carry over to the next year. The Part B deductible resets January 1st regardless of whether you used services. The Part A deductible applies only when you are admitted to the hospital, so if you are not admitted, you do not owe it.

Do preventive services count toward my deductible?

Most preventive services covered by Part B — like annual wellness visits, cancer screenings, and flu shots — are covered at no cost and do not count toward your deductible. However, if you see a doctor for a non-preventive reason during the same visit, that portion may count toward your deductible.

What if my doctor charges more than Medicare approves?

If your doctor accepts Medicare assignment, they can only charge you the Medicare-approved amount, and your deductible applies to that amount. If your doctor does not accept assignment, they may charge more, and you owe the full difference on top of your deductible. Ask your doctor's office in advance whether they accept Medicare assignment.

When should I call Medicare about my deductible?

Call 1-800-MEDICARE if you are unsure whether a service is covered, if you want to know your current deductible balance, or if you believe you were charged incorrectly. It is free to call, and Medicare can often answer questions before you receive a service so you know what to expect.

This guide is for general information only and is not medical, financial, legal, or other professional advice. For decisions specific to your situation, consult a qualified professional. See our Editorial Policy.