Medicare Supplement Plan A: What It Covers and What It Costs in 2026

What Medicare Supplement Plan A covers

Medigap plans are standardized by the federal government, so a plan sold under a given letter offers the same core benefits no matter which private insurer issues it or what state you live in. Plan A is the baseline — it holds the smallest set of benefits, which every other lettered plan must also include.

Plan A pays 100% of these four core benefits that sit on top of Original Medicare (Part A and Part B):

• Part A hospital coinsurance, plus coverage for up to 365 additional hospital days after your Original Medicare inpatient benefits are used up.
• Part B coinsurance or copayment — the 20% share you would normally owe for most doctor visits and outpatient care after you meet the Part B deductible.
• Blood — the cost of the first 3 pints you need in a year.
• Part A hospice care coinsurance or copayment for covered hospice services.

What Plan A does not cover

Because Plan A is the most basic Medigap plan, it leaves several large gaps that richer plans (such as G or N) fill. Knowing these gaps is the key to deciding whether Plan A fits your budget and risk tolerance.

Plan A does NOT pay for any of the following — you would owe these out of pocket:

• The Part A hospital deductible, which is $1,736 per benefit period in 2026. With Plan A you pay this yourself each time a new benefit period begins.
• Skilled nursing facility (SNF) coinsurance — $217 per day for days 21–100 in 2026 — which Plan A does not cover at all.
• The Part B deductible ($283 in 2026). No Medigap plan sold to people new to Medicare on or after January 1, 2020 may cover the Part B deductible, but Plan A has never included it.
• Part B excess charges (extra amounts a provider who doesn't accept assignment may bill above the Medicare-approved amount).
• Foreign travel emergency care.

How Plan A costs work in 2026

A Medigap policy has its own monthly premium that you pay to the private insurer, and that is on top of your Medicare Part B premium — which is $202.90 per month in 2026 for most people. Plan A typically carries one of the lowest Medigap premiums because it covers the fewest benefits, but the actual dollar amount varies widely by insurer, your age, and where you live.

Insurers price Medigap in one of three ways: community-rated (everyone pays the same regardless of age), issue-age-rated (based on your age when you buy), or attained-age-rated (rises as you get older). Two companies can sell the identical Plan A benefits at very different prices, so comparing quotes matters.

Remember that 'lowest premium' is not the same as 'lowest total cost.' Because Plan A leaves the $1,736 Part A deductible and the $283 Part B deductible to you, a single hospital stay can erase the premium savings versus a more complete plan. Weigh the monthly premium against the bills you would face if you were hospitalized.

A real-world look at the gaps

It helps to see how Plan A's coverage and gaps line up against Original Medicare's 2026 cost-sharing amounts.

What Plan A absorbs for you: after the Part A deductible, daily hospital coinsurance of $434 (days 61–90) and $868 (lifetime reserve days) is covered, as is your 20% Part B coinsurance once you've met the Part B deductible.

• You still pay: the $1,736 Part A deductible per benefit period.
• You still pay: the $283 annual Part B deductible.
• You still pay: SNF coinsurance of $217/day for days 21–100.
• Plan A covers: Part A hospital coinsurance of $434/day (days 61–90) and $868/day (lifetime reserve days), plus the 20% Part B coinsurance after the deductible.

Who should consider Plan A — and when to buy

Plan A can suit someone who wants the lowest possible Medigap premium, is comfortable self-funding the Part A and Part B deductibles, and mainly wants protection against the unlimited 20% Part B coinsurance on doctor and outpatient bills. Shoppers who want broader protection often compare Plan A against Plan G or Plan N, which cover the Part A deductible and more.

Timing is critical. You get a one-time, 6-month Medigap Open Enrollment Period that starts the first month you are 65 or older and enrolled in Part B. During this window an insurer cannot use medical underwriting to refuse you, charge you more, or impose long waits for pre-existing conditions. Outside this window — except in specific 'guaranteed issue' situations — insurers in most states can deny coverage or raise your price based on health.

Medigap works only with Original Medicare; you generally cannot use it with a Medicare Advantage plan, and Plan A does not include prescription drug coverage (you would add a separate Part D plan). Confirm current details and quotes before you enroll, since plan availability and pricing differ by company and state.