Does Medicare Cover Nursing Home Care?

Medicare Part A covers short-term stays in a nursing home that requires skilled care. However, for long-term stays, Medicare plans do not cover the cost.

Medicare does not provide coverage if the beneficiary only needs custodial care at a nursing home. Custodial care services include bathing, dressing, using the bathroom, and eating. In other words, Medicare does not provide coverage for unskilled care in a nursing facility. 

There are certain services Medicare covers in a nursing home facility, but you must meet the specified requirements. First, you must be enrolled in Medicare Part A and must have days left in your benefit period. You must also have had a qualifying hospital stay, and a doctor must have determined that you need daily, skilled care in a nursing home. You must also receive nursing home care in a Medicare-approved facility. 

If you need to receive skilled care while at home, do keep in mind that Medicare will provide a minimal amount of coverage for this service, but this would technically fall into a home health care situation rather than nursing home care. Nonetheless, you will receive coverage for skilled care at a nursing home and home health care as long as the care is medically necessary and is not meant to be long-term.