Your Medicare Coverage

Is your test, item, or service covered?

Mental health care (inpatient)

How often is it covered?

Medicare Part A (Hospital Insurance) covers inpatient mental health care in hospitals, including specialized psychiatric units and hospitals.

Medicare doesn't cover:

  • The cost of private duty nursing
  • A phone or television in your room
  • Personal items, like toothpaste, socks, or razors
  • A private room, unless medically necessary

Who's eligible?

All people with Medicare are covered.

Your costs in Original Medicare

You pay:

  • Days 1–60: $1,156 deductible for each benefit period.
  • Days 61–90: $289 coinsurance per day of each benefit period.
  • Days 91 and beyond: $578 coinsurance per each "lifetime reserve day" after day 90 for each benefit period (up to 60 days over your lifetime).
  • Beyond lifetime reserve days: all costs.
Note

There's no limit to the number of benefit periods you can have when you get mental health care in a general hospital. You can also have multiple benefit periods when you get care in a psychiatric hospital. Remember, there's a lifetime limit of 190 days.

  • 20% of the Medicare-approved amount for mental health services you get from doctors and other providers while you're a hospital inpatient.

Related resources

If you need immediate help for yourself or someone in a crisis, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK or 1-800-SUICIDE (1-800-273-8255). TTY users should call 1-800-799-4TTY (1-800-799-4889).  

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