Does Medicare Cover Skilled Nursing Facility Care?

Does Medicare cover skilled nursing facility care? Yes, but only under specific conditions. Medicare Part A pays for short-term skilled nursing facility (SNF) care after a qualifying hospital stay, for a limited number of days, and only in a Medicare-certified facility. It does not cover ongoing custodial care in a nursing home. Many people assume Medicare pays for long-term nursing home stays; it does not, and misunderstanding this distinction can lead to a large unexpected bill.

As of 2026, Medicare covers up to 100 days of SNF care per benefit period under Part A. After day 100, Medicare pays nothing, and you become responsible for the full daily cost unless you have additional coverage such as a Medigap plan or Medicaid. Below is a breakdown of the requirements, costs, and appeal rights that determine whether your stay qualifies.

What Is a Skilled Nursing Facility?

A skilled nursing facility (SNF) is a licensed, Medicare-certified care center that provides medically necessary nursing or therapy services you cannot safely receive at home. The word "skilled" is the key to Medicare's rules: Medicare pays only when a licensed professional, such as a registered nurse, physical therapist, or speech-language pathologist, must provide or closely supervise your care.

Examples of skilled care Medicare will cover in a SNF include:

• Wound care following surgery or injury
• Intravenous (IV) medications that require nursing oversight
• Physical therapy to regain mobility after a stroke or hip replacement
• Occupational therapy to relearn daily tasks
• Speech-language therapy following a neurological event

If the skilled care you need can be delivered safely in your own home, Medicare's home health benefit may be a lower-cost option. See our guide to what Medicare covers for home health care to compare the two settings.

The Three-Day Hospital Stay Requirement

Before Medicare will pay for any SNF care, you must have a qualifying inpatient hospital stay of at least three consecutive days, not counting the day you are discharged. This requirement is commonly called the "three-day rule."

• You must be admitted to the SNF within 30 days of your hospital discharge.
• The SNF stay must address a condition related to the qualifying hospital stay.

How Medicare Pays for Skilled Nursing Facility Care

Medicare Part A uses a benefit period structure. A benefit period begins the day you are admitted to a hospital or SNF and ends when you have been out of both settings for 60 consecutive days. You can have more than one benefit period in a year, which means your SNF coverage, and your deductible, can reset.

According to Medicare.gov, Medicare covers up to 100 days of SNF care per benefit period, broken down as follows:

• Days 1-20: Medicare pays the full approved amount. You owe nothing beyond the Part A deductible, which applies for the full benefit period.
• Days 21-100: You pay a daily coinsurance. In 2025 this was $209.50 per day; the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) updates this figure each year. Check CMS.gov for the current 2026 amount.
• Days 101 and beyond: Medicare stops paying entirely. You are responsible for 100% of the daily facility cost.

The Part A deductible applies per benefit period, not per year. If you need SNF care in a second benefit period later in the year, you pay the deductible again. In 2025 the Part A deductible was $1,676; verify the current 2026 figure at Medicare.gov.

Medicare Advantage and Skilled Nursing Facilities

If you are enrolled in a Medicare Advantage (Part C) plan rather than Original Medicare, your SNF benefits may work differently. Plans must cover at least the same services as Original Medicare, but they can structure cost-sharing differently and usually require you to use in-network facilities.

Many Medicare Advantage plans require written approval, called prior authorization, before a SNF stay is covered. Your doctor or the hospital typically must request this approval while you are still hospitalized, before you transfer. Check your plan's Evidence of Coverage document to find out whether your plan waives the three-day hospital stay requirement.

Original Medicare lets you use any Medicare-certified SNF in the country without prior authorization. If you are weighing plan types for complex or chronic care needs, our guide to Medicare Special Needs Plans covers one type of Advantage plan built around ongoing skilled care needs.

How to Reduce Your SNF Out-of-Pocket Costs

The daily coinsurance for days 21-100 adds up quickly. If you remain in a SNF through day 100, coinsurance costs alone could exceed $15,000 in a single benefit period, and you could face more than one benefit period in a year. Two coverage options can substantially reduce this exposure.

Medigap (Medicare Supplement) plans. Medigap plans are sold by private insurers to work alongside Original Medicare. Most standardized Medigap plans cover some or all of the SNF daily coinsurance for days 21-100. Plan G, one of the most popular options, covers the coinsurance in full. Plan K and Plan L cover a portion.

Medicaid. If you have limited income and assets, Medicaid may cover long-term nursing facility care that Medicare does not, including custodial care and stays beyond 100 days. People who qualify for both Medicare and Medicaid, called dual eligible, typically receive the most complete SNF coverage, with Medicaid picking up cost-sharing that Medicare leaves behind. Rules vary by state, so contact your state Medicaid office for specifics.

Employer or retiree coverage may also provide additional SNF benefits if you or your spouse still have it, coordinating with Part A rather than replacing it.

When Medicare Stops Paying During Your SNF Stay

Medicare can end SNF coverage before day 100 if your condition stabilizes and you no longer need skilled care. The coverage limit is based on medical need, not on calendar days alone. When that happens, the SNF must give you a written Notice of Medicare Non-Coverage (NOMNC) at least two days before coverage ends. This notice explains the last day Medicare will pay and your right to appeal.

You have the right to a fast, free appeal through your Beneficiary and Family Centered Care Quality Improvement Organization (BFCC-QIO). If you request the appeal by noon on the last covered day, Medicare coverage continues while the review is underway, and you cannot be billed for that period. If the appeal is decided in your favor, coverage continues. If not, you become responsible for costs starting from the date coverage ended.

Medicare Advantage plan denials follow a similar appeal process through the plan itself. Your State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) offers free, unbiased help navigating SNF appeals.