Answer: Medicare will only pay for a stay in a nursing home or rehabilitation facility for a limited period of time and only if the individual resident requires some sort of skilled care. The skilled care requirement can be met by such services as physical therapy, wound care or dialysis.
If the skilled care requirement is met, Medicare will pay for days 1-20 in full, and on days 21-100 Medicare coverage will require a co-pay which is often paid by the resident’s supplemental insurance policy. On day 101 all Medicare and supplemental insurance coverage stops for care in the facility. If the resident is eligible for Medicaid benefits, the Medicaid coverage will begin when Medicare stops paying. An Elder Law attorney can often be helpful in making the resident Medicaid eligible without spending down all of the resident’s assets.
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