Medicare Plan Part A 2009 Premium

Most people do not pay a monthly Part A premium because you or a spouse has 40 or more quarters of Medicare-covered employment. If you don't have the required 40 plus quarters then the Part A premium is $244.00 per month if you have 30-39 quarters of Medicare-covered employment. The Part A premium is $443.00 per month for people who are not otherwise eligible for premium-free hospital insurance and have less than 30 quarters of Medicare-covered employment.

Medicare Plan Part A Deductible and Coinsurance Amounts for 2009

Medicare Part A: Pays for inpatient hospital, skilled nursing facility, and some home health care. For each benefit period Medicare pays all covered costs except the Medicare Part A deductible which in 2009 is $1,068 during the first 60 days and coinsurance amounts for hospital stays that last beyond 60 days and no more than 150 days.

For each Medicare benefit period you pay a total of $1,068 for a hospital stay of 1-60 days; $267 per day for days 61-90 of a hospital stay; $534 per day for days 91-150 of a hospital stay (Lifetime Reserve Days); All costs for each day beyond 150 days.

Skilled Nursing Facility Coinsurance is $133.50 per day for days 21 through 100 each benefit period.

New Medicare premium and coinsurance rates come out each fall and become effective in January. If you get Social Security premiums or Railroad Retirement benefits, new rates are sent to you each year with your December cost of living adjustment notice.