Medicare Part A is premium-free hospital insurance for most eligible people, provided they paid enough in Medicare taxes when they were working. To be eligible for Part A coverage, you must be 65, although some people who are under 65 and have disabilities or renal disease may qualify.

Medicare Part A covers:

• Inpatient hospital care
• Home health care
• Psychiatric inpatient care
• Hospice care
• Care in a skilled nursing facility following a hospital stay for a related illness

Note that there are time limits to coverage under Part A. Here’s an example:

Part A will cover hospital stays up to a 60-day “benefit period.” Care in a skilled nursing facility is only covered for 100 days in a “benefit period,” which means Part A does not cover long-term care. A “benefit period” begins the day you go to a hospital or skilled nursing facility (SNF). It ends when you haven’t received any hospital or SNF care for 60 days in a row. There is no limit to the number of benefit periods, however.

In addition, Part A does not cover doctor visits and other outpatient care. These services are covered by Medicare Part B.

With Part A coverage, you have your choice of doctors. But your costs may be higher than those for Medicare Advantage Plans.

More detailed information about Medicare Part A is available through the annual Medicare & You handbook, available for download at Medicare.gov (PDF format). To request a copy by mail, call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227).