Updated October 1, 2026. Quick answer: The Medicare Part A inpatient hospital deductible for 2026 is $1,736, up $60 from $1,676 in 2025. You pay it once per benefit period when admitted to the hospital. CMS also set daily coinsurance of $434 for days 61 to 90 and $868 for lifetime reserve days.
2026 Part A amounts
| Item | 2026 |
|---|---|
| Inpatient hospital deductible, per benefit period | $1,736 |
| Increase over 2025 (computed) | $60 |
| Coinsurance per day, days 61 to 90 | $434 |
| Coinsurance per day, lifetime reserve days | $868 |
| Skilled nursing facility coinsurance per day, days 21 to 100 | $217 |
The CMS fact sheet says “The Medicare Part A inpatient hospital deductible that beneficiaries pay if admitted to the hospital will be $1,736 in 2026, an increase of $60 from $1,676 in 2025.” The CMS manual-update notice MM14279 lists the same figure: “Part A deductible: $1,736”.
What the deductible covers
CMS says the deductible “covers beneficiaries’ share of costs for the first 60 days of Medicare-covered inpatient hospital care in a benefit period”. After day 60 the daily coinsurance applies. For 2026 CMS sets it at $434 a day for days 61 through 90 of a hospitalization in a benefit period ($419 in 2025) and $868 a day for lifetime reserve days ($838 in 2025).
Most people pay no Part A premium
CMS says “Approximately 99% of Medicare beneficiaries do not have a Part A premium since they have at least 40 quarters of Medicare-covered employment”. The deductible is separate from the premium; see the status of the 2027 amount on the 2027 Part A deductible page.
Common mistakes
- Treating the deductible as yearly. It applies per benefit period, so more than one can fall in a year.
- Mixing it up with the Part B deductible, which is a separate yearly amount.
- Forgetting the daily coinsurance that starts on day 61.
Related: the 2027 Part A deductible page, the Part B premium page, the Medicare and IRMAA guides, the 2026 retirement numbers hub, the 2026 Part B deductible, and the 2026 Part B premium.
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Sources
- CMS, 2026 Medicare Parts A and B Premiums and Deductibles (fact sheet, Nov. 14, 2025): https://www.cms.gov/newsroom/fact-sheets/2026-medicare-parts-b-premiums-deductibles
- CMS MLN Matters MM14279, Medicare Deductible, Coinsurance and Premium Rates: CY 2026 Update: https://www.cms.gov/files/document/mm14279-medicare-deductible-coinsurance-premium-rates-cy-2026-update.pdf
Sources: the primary documents linked above, read on October 1, 2026. General information, not tax advice. Your own facts decide the outcome, and a preparer, the plan administrator or the agency itself is the right place to confirm anything consequential.