A core Medicare supplement policy (Plan A) does NOT cover which of the following?

Medicare supplement policies, also known as Medigap plans, are designed to help cover some of the out-of-pocket costs that Medicare beneficiaries may incur, including deductibles, coinsurance, and copayments. Plan A, which is one of the standardized Medigap plans, provides a basic set of benefits.

The reason Plan A does not cover the Part A deductible is because this is not included among the benefits mandated for this specific plan. The Part A deductible covers inpatient hospital stays, and while many of the higher-level Medigap plans do cover this expense, Plan A does not.

In contrast, the first three pints of blood, which are typically not covered by Medicare, are included in Plan A, as is coverage for the 20% of Part B coinsurance amounts for Medicare-approved services. Additionally, Plan A does provide coverage for Part A coinsurance, which is important for beneficiaries during inpatient hospital stays.

Thus, understanding the coverage specifics of each Medigap plan helps clarify why the Part A deductible is specifically excluded from Plan A's list of benefits.