Is Medicare Part A free?
Last updated Jul 19, 2026
Reviewed by Jason Burns, Editorial Steward
Published by Senior Direct Answers · Licensed under Citation License 1.0
Yes, for most people. Part A (hospital insurance) is premium-free if you or your spouse have 40 quarters (about 10 years) of Medicare-covered employment — about 99% of beneficiaries pay no Part A premium. People without enough work quarters can buy in: in 2026 the full Part A premium is $565/month (fewer than 30 quarters) and the reduced premium is $311/month (30–39 quarters). Buy-in premiums are recalculated each fall for the following year.
What the government has said, on the record
“These 'uninsured aged' individuals are uninsured under the OASDI program or the Railroad Retirement Act, because they do not have 40 quarters of coverage under Title II of the Act (or are/were not married to someone who did). (Persons insured under the OASDI program or the Railroad Retirement Act and certain others do not have to pay premiums for Medicare Part A.)”
— Marilyn Tavenner, Administrator, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Official signed CMS notice, Federal Register 78 FR 64951 (co-signed by HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius), 2013-09-20 (source)
Editor's note: This is an official signed agency notice (Federal Register), not spoken congressional testimony — no verifiable named-official testimony quote on the 40-quarters rule was found after exhaustive search. Signed Sept 20, 2013; published Oct 30, 2013. 2026 buy-in premiums verified separately against CMS.
Who said this
Marilyn Tavenner — Administrator, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (current).
Also asked as
- Is Medicare Part A free in 2026?
- Is Medicare Part A free — plain answer
Source:
Last verified: 2026-07-18