Skilled nursing facility care after a hospital stay

Medicare Part A can pay for a short stay in a skilled nursing facility (SNF) to recover after a hospital stay. It is not long-term nursing home care.

When it's covered

• You had a medically necessary inpatient hospital stay of at least 3 days in a row. The day you're admitted counts; the day you leave doesn't.
• You go to the SNF, usually within 30 days of leaving the hospital.
• You need skilled nursing or therapy every day, for a condition treated in the hospital (or one that started while you were in the SNF for it).
• The facility is Medicare-certified.

Watch for "observation" status

Time in the hospital under observation, or in the emergency room before you're admitted, doesn't count toward the 3 days, even if you stay overnight. Ask the hospital whether you're an inpatient or under observation. If your status was changed from inpatient to observation, you may be able to appeal.

2026 costs with Original Medicare

• Days 1 to 20: $0 per day (after the $1,736 Part A deductible for the benefit period, which you don't pay twice if you paid it for the hospital stay).
• Days 21 to 100: $217 per day.
• After day 100: you pay everything.

Many Medigap plans pay the daily coinsurance. Medicare Advantage plans set their own copays and some waive the 3-day rule.

What Medicare doesn't cover

Long-term custodial care, meaning help with bathing, dressing and eating when that's the only care you need, isn't covered by Medicare. Medicaid, long-term care insurance or your own savings usually pay for it.