Medicare covers skilled nursing care, but only short-term and under strict rules. Here's how it works.
How Medicare covers skilled nursing facility care
Medicare Part A covers care in a skilled nursing facility (SNF) when you meet specific conditions: you've had a qualifying inpatient hospital stay of at least three days, you enter a Medicare-certified SNF within 30 days, and you need daily skilled care, such as skilled nursing or therapy, related to your hospital condition. Medicare covers up to 100 days per benefit period. Days 1 through 20 are fully covered; days 21 through 100 require a daily coinsurance amount; after day 100 you pay all costs. This benefit is for recovery and rehabilitation, like after a stroke, surgery, or serious illness. Call 1-800-MEDIGAP at 1-800-633-4427 for help.
Your costs and how Medigap helps
The daily coinsurance for days 21 through 100 of a skilled nursing facility stay can add up quickly over a long recovery. Under Original Medicare you're responsible for that coinsurance, and once you pass 100 days in a benefit period, you pay all costs. A Medigap (Medicare Supplement) plan can cover the skilled nursing facility coinsurance, removing a significant out-of-pocket burden during recovery. Remember, this benefit covers skilled care, not long-term custodial care, once you no longer need daily skilled services, coverage ends. To protect yourself from these costs, call 1-800-MEDIGAP for a free Medigap comparison.