Part A: the free half of Medicare (for most)
Medicare Part A covers inpatient hospital care, skilled nursing, and hospice — premium-free for anyone with 40 quarters of Medicare-taxed work. In 2026 the deductible is $1,736 per benefit period, and because it's free for most, nearly every veteran should take it at 65 — TRICARE for Life and CHAMPVA outright require it.
What Part A covers
Hospital insurance: inpatient hospital stays, skilled nursing facility care after a qualifying stay, hospice, and some home health. Military service doesn't change the benefit — it changes what sits behind it. A TFL or CHAMPVA household sees Part A's cost-sharing absorbed by the wraparound; a VA-only veteran sees Part A as the thing that pays when a health event lands them at a civilian hospital instead of a VA one.
2026 cost-sharing per benefit period
| Inpatient hospital | You pay (Original Medicare alone) |
|---|---|
| Deductible (days 1–60) | $1,736 |
| Days 61–90 | $434/day |
| Lifetime reserve days (60 total) | $868/day |
| Skilled nursing facility, days 1–20 | $0 |
| Skilled nursing facility, days 21–100 | $217/day |
"Per benefit period" is the catch civilians and veterans alike miss: the deductible can hit more than once a year if stays are separated by 60+ days out of facility care. It's also why the wraparounds matter — TFL and CHAMPVA pay these amounts for covered stays, and a Medigap plan does the same for veterans without them. (Familiar number? The VA pegs its own Priority Group 8 inpatient copay to this deductible.)
Premium-free for most — so take it
- 40 quarters (about 10 years) of Medicare-taxed work — yours or a spouse's — makes Part A premium-free. Active-duty pay has counted toward those quarters since 1957, so career service members qualify on service alone.
- Fewer quarters? Part A can be purchased (with a late penalty if delayed), which changes the math — a conversation worth having before declining anything.
- Even committed VA users should enroll in premium-free A: it costs nothing, and it's the difference between a covered and an uncovered civilian hospital admission. Declining free Part A while drawing Social Security isn't even possible without forfeiting benefits.
- TFL and CHAMPVA make it mandatory — Part A (with B) is the price of the wraparound.
Still working past 65 and contributing to a Health Savings Account? Part A enrollment ends HSA contribution eligibility (and enrollment is backdated up to 6 months when you do sign up). Veterans on employer coverage who value HSA contributions sometimes delay all of Medicare until retirement — legitimate with creditable 20+-employee coverage, and one more reason VA care alone shouldn't drive the timing.
Your benefits mix is unique. A licensed agent can review how Medicare options coordinate with your VA, TRICARE for Life, or CHAMPVA coverage — at no cost and no obligation.
Find a Medicare AgentOr compare plans yourself at PlanMatch.com, or contact Medicare.gov / 1-800-MEDICARE.
Frequently asked questions
Is Medicare Part A free for veterans?
What is the 2026 Part A deductible?
Does VA Healthcare replace Part A?
Should I delay Part A if I'm still working?
You earned these benefits. Make them work together.
Whether you keep exactly what you have or add Medicare coverage alongside it, the right answer depends on your health, budget, and how you like to get care.
No cost, no obligation. You can also get help from Medicare.gov, 1-800-MEDICARE (TTY 1-877-486-2048), or your local SHIP office.