Part A · 2026
Do I have to pay for Medicare Part A?
Enter your work quarters, and your spouse’s if you are married, to see your Part A premium, whether your work makes Part A free, and any late enrollment penalty.
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Written and maintained by Daniel SmithCalifornia, USA
| 40 or more quarters | $0.00/monthPremium-free Part A for you or your spouse’s work record. |
|---|---|
| 30 to 39 quarters | $311.00/monthAbout $3,732.00 a year. |
| Fewer than 30 quarters | $565.00/monthAbout $6,780.00 a year. |
| Late enrollment penalty | 10%, twice the years delayedOnly if you must buy Part A and delay past your first chance. |
| Where quarters come from | Medicare taxes on earningsSocial Security counts calendar quarters you paid Medicare tax. |
| Part B is separate | Always has a premiumWork history does not remove the Part B premium. |
Your result
Part A premium estimate
Enter your quarters of coverage to see the result.
Enter your quarters of coverage
The calculator needs your quarter count from 0 to 40. If you are married, add your spouse’s quarters to see whether their work lowers your premium.
How much is Medicare Part A
Most people pay nothing for Part A because 40 or more quarters of Medicare-covered work make it premium-free. If you have fewer quarters, Part A becomes a monthly bill: $311 a month from 30 to 39 quarters, and $565 a month below 30 quarters for 2026. That is the whole Medicare Part A cost of having the coverage: the premium decides whether you get a bill, and the deductible below decides what a hospital stay costs.
A premium does not change what Part A covers. Hospital deductible, coinsurance, and the skilled nursing amounts are the same for everyone. The premium only decides whether you get a bill for having the coverage.
Part A premium by quarters
Social Security counts calendar quarters in which you earned enough and paid Medicare tax. Forty quarters is about 10 years of full-time work. A spouse’s quarters can raise your count in many marriages, divorces, and widowhoods, and the calculator above combines the two records when you say you are married. This Part A premium calculator uses only the tier rule: higher record wins, then the quarter count picks the price.
| Quarters used | Tier | Monthly premium | Annual premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| 40 or more | Premium-free | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| 30 to 39 | Reduced premium | $311.00 | $3,732.00 |
| Fewer than 30 | Full premium | $565.00 | $6,780.00 |
Source: CMS, 2026 Medicare Parts A & B premiums and deductibles, checked 2026-10-28.
How to get free Part A
The plain path is 40 quarters of your own work. If you are short, a spouse’s record can close the gap in many cases, and some divorced and widowed spouses can use a former spouse’s record. People who are already entitled to Social Security retirement or disability benefits generally get premium-free Part A automatically.
Low-income help is a separate door. A Medicare Savings Program can pay your Part A and Part B premiums for you, and Extra Help can lower drug costs. The Medicare Savings Program calculator checks those limits by state.
What to do next
- Open your Social Security account and count your years of Medicare-taxed work. Ask your spouse to do the same.
- Call Social Security at 1-800-772-1213 and ask for your quarter count before you apply for Part A.
- If the count puts you on a premium, ask whether a Medicare Savings Program in your state would pay it. See the MSP and Extra Help limits.
- If you delayed enrollment, ask Social Security whether a penalty or an exception applies to your record before you pay anything.
What changed for 2026 compared with 2025
| Rule | 2025 | 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Reduced Part A premium (30–39 quarters)The buy-in rate for people with some, but not enough, work credits. | $285.00 | $311.00 |
| Full Part A premium (under 30 quarters)The rate for the smallest work records. | $518.00 | $565.00 |
| Inpatient hospital deductiblePer benefit period, not per year, and the same at every premium tier. | $1,676.00 | $1,736.00 |
| Premium-free thresholdThe free-part-a bar did not change. | 40 quarters | 40 quarters |
Worked examples
Four situations run through the same rule: take the higher record, pick the tier, then add a penalty only if you had to buy Part A and delayed.
| Input or result | 40 own quarters | 35 own quarters | 20 own, spouse 40 | 35 quarters, 2 years late |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Quarters used | 40 | 35 | 40 | 35 |
| Tier | Premium-free | Reduced | Premium-free | Reduced |
| Monthly premium | $0.00 | $311.00 | $0.00 | $311.00 |
| Monthly penalty | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $31.10 |
| Monthly total during penalty | $0.00 | $311.00 | $0.00 | $342.10 |
| Annual premium | $0.00 | $3,732.00 | $0.00 | $3,732.00 |
MedicareClear is independent. We do not sell plans, rank carriers, or claim an official connection to Medicare.gov or any government agency.
Three honest caveats
- Social Security makes the official call from your earnings record. This page uses the quarter count you enter, so a mismatch between your memory and the record changes the answer.
- Marriage, divorce, and widowhood rules decide when a spouse’s record counts. The calculator combines the records when you say you are married, but Social Security still applies those rules case by case.
- A premium tier never changes what Part A covers, and it does not remove the Part B premium or the hospital deductible. Budget for those separately.
Frequently asked questions
Is Medicare Part A free at 65?
For most people, yes. If you or your spouse worked and paid Medicare taxes for 40 quarters, Part A has no monthly premium. You still pay Part B premiums, and hospital costs like the deductible still apply.
How many quarters to get free Part A?
Forty quarters, about 10 years of work where you paid Medicare taxes. Thirty to 39 quarters buy the reduced premium of $311.00 a month in 2026, and fewer than 30 quarters cost $565.00 a month.
Can I delay Part A enrollment?
Usually you can, but only without a penalty if you or your spouse are still working with employer group coverage. If you must buy Part A and wait, a 10% penalty applies for twice the number of years you delayed. People with an HSA should also know that premium-free Part A can start up to six months earlier.
Can a spouse make Part A free?
In many cases yes. A current spouse’s record can lower or remove your premium, and some divorced and widowed spouses can also count a former spouse’s record. Social Security applies marriage-length rules, so confirm your case with Social Security before you apply.
How do I check my quarters of coverage?
Sign in to your Social Security account and review your earnings history, or call 1-800-772-1213. The quarter count comes from the taxes you paid on earnings, not from how many jobs you held.
Is the Part A premium deducted from Social Security?
If you get Social Security benefits, Social Security can deduct the Part A premium from your monthly check. If you are not getting benefits, you will get a bill from Medicare. Either way the amount is the same tier shown here.
Related help
Source table
| Figure | Value used | Official source |
|---|---|---|
| Part A premium, 30–39 quarters | $311.00 | CMS 2026 Parts A & B fact sheetChecked |
| Part A premium, under 30 quarters | $565.00 | CMS 2026 Parts A & B fact sheetChecked |
| Premium-free threshold | 40 or more quarters of coverage | CMS 2026 Parts A & B fact sheetChecked |
| Late enrollment penalty | 10% of the premium, payable for twice the years delayed | Medicare.gov avoid late enrollment penaltiesChecked |
| Where to check your quarters | Social Security earnings record | Social Security my accountChecked |
Cite this page
If you cite this page, use the reference below. It shows the date the figures were last checked so readers can judge whether they are current.
MedicareClear. “Do I have to pay for Medicare Part A?.” Figures checked October 28, 2026. https://medicareclear.top/calculators/part-a-premium/
Print the checklist for a parent or keep a copy for your records. If a figure looks wrong, send the page and the official source you used.
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MedicareClear is independent and is not connected to Medicare.gov, Social Security, or any government agency. This page is educational and does not provide legal, tax, or insurance advice. Confirm your quarters and premium with Social Security before you act.
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