How Many Days of Skilled Nursing Does Medicare Cover?

Medicare Part A, known as Hospital Insurance, covers certain medically necessary skilled nursing facility (SNF) care.

Defining Skilled Nursing Care

Skilled nursing care refers to services requiring the expertise of trained medical professionals, such as registered nurses, licensed practical nurses, physical therapists, or speech-language pathologists. These services are more intensive than general care and address specific medical conditions. Examples include intravenous injections, complex wound care, comprehensive rehabilitation therapies, medication management, and observation of unstable health conditions.

This care differs from custodial care, which involves assistance with personal needs like bathing, dressing, or eating. Medicare generally does not cover custodial care when it is the only care needed. For Medicare to cover skilled nursing care, a doctor must prescribe it, and it must be medically necessary for treatment or recovery. The care must be delivered by or under the direct supervision of skilled personnel.

Eligibility Requirements for Coverage

To qualify for Medicare Part A coverage for skilled nursing facility care, beneficiaries must meet specific criteria. An initial requirement is a qualifying inpatient hospital stay of at least three consecutive days as an admitted inpatient, not under observation status.

Following this hospital stay, the beneficiary must be admitted to a Medicare-certified skilled nursing facility within 30 days after leaving the hospital. The SNF care must be directly related to the condition that caused the hospital stay or a condition treated during that stay. A doctor must certify the need for daily skilled nursing or therapy services that can only be provided in an SNF setting.

The care provided in the skilled nursing facility must be continuous and require daily skilled services. If the need for skilled care ceases, Medicare coverage for the SNF stay may end even if the individual has not used all available days. The facility itself must be approved by Medicare for its services to be covered.

Medicare Part A Coverage Structure and Costs

Medicare Part A coverage for skilled nursing facility care operates within a “benefit period.” A benefit period begins the day a beneficiary is admitted as an inpatient to a hospital or a skilled nursing facility. This period concludes when 60 consecutive days pass without receiving inpatient hospital care or skilled care in an SNF. If a beneficiary requires SNF care again after a benefit period has ended, a new benefit period will begin, and associated costs may reset.

During the first 20 days of skilled nursing facility care within a benefit period, Medicare Part A covers 100% of the approved costs. Beneficiaries typically have no out-of-pocket expenses for services during this initial period, provided all eligibility requirements are met.

For days 21 through 100 of skilled nursing facility care within the same benefit period, a daily co-insurance amount applies. In 2025, the daily co-insurance for this period is $209.50. Beneficiaries are responsible for this daily payment, which can accumulate over an extended stay. While there is no specific deductible for SNF care, the Part A hospital deductible for the qualifying hospital stay would have been met prior to the SNF admission.

After day 100 within a benefit period, Medicare Part A coverage for skilled nursing facility care ceases entirely. At this point, the beneficiary becomes responsible for the full cost of the SNF care. Beneficiaries needing care beyond 100 days must explore other payment options, such as private funds, long-term care insurance, or eligibility for other government programs.