Medicare Part A Part A, also known as hospital insurance, is the part of Medicare that covers most medically necessary hospital inpatient care, skilled nursing facility (SNF) care, home health care, and hospice care. covers up to 100 days of skilled nursing facility (SNF) Skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) are Medicare-approved facilities that provide short-term post-hospital extended care services. care. Medicare will not cover the cost of your stay if you need additional days in a SNF or otherwise need long-term care (LTC) in a facility (such as an assisted living facility Assisted living facilities are long-term care facilities designed to assist people with activities of daily living who can otherwise take care of themselves. They are different from nursing homes, which also provide skilled care. Medicare does not cover room and board in an assisted living facility. ).
If you have significant LTC needs, you may want to explore other kinds of insurance that may provide you with more comprehensive coverage:
- Medicaid is a state and federal program that provides health coverage if you have a limited income. Medicaid Medicaid is a federal and state program that provides health coverage for certain people with limited income and assets. is the country’s largest payer of LTC services and will pay for Nursing Home A nursing home, also called a long-term care facility, is a residential facility for people with chronic illness or disability. Nursing home services include room and board, nursing care, personal care, and therapy services. A skilled nursing facility (SNF) is a nursing home that provides skilled care, but not all nursing homes are SNFs. Medicare does not cover the cost of nursing homes that are not SNFs. care. Medicaid benefits also coordinate with Medicare.
- Long-term care insurance generally covers nursing home stays and can limit your health care costs. However, it can be very expensive and you can only purchase certain LTC policies if you are in good health.