Question 1

Does Medicare pay for a nursing home?

Accepted Answer

Only for a short, skilled stay. Medicare Part A covers care in a Medicare-certified skilled nursing facility for up to 100 days per benefit period after a qualifying hospital stay. It doesn't pay for long-term custodial care.

Question 2

What is Medicare's 3-day rule for skilled nursing?

Accepted Answer

Medicare covers skilled nursing facility care only after a "qualifying inpatient hospital stay": at least 3 days in a row as an inpatient, not counting the day you leave. Time under observation doesn't count as inpatient.

Question 3

How much does Medicare pay for rehab in a nursing home?

Accepted Answer

Per Medicare.gov (November 2026): days 1–20 cost $0 per day after the Part A deductible ($1,736), days 21–100 cost $217 per day, and after day 100 you pay all costs.

Question 4

Does Medicare pay for assisted living or memory care?

Accepted Answer

No. Medicare says it doesn't pay for long-term care, which includes the day-to-day personal care provided in assisted living and memory care. Families usually pay privately, with long-term care insurance, or through programs like Medicaid or VA benefits.

Question 5

What is VA Aid and Attendance?

Accepted Answer

It's a monthly payment added to a VA pension for qualifying veterans and survivors who need help with daily activities, are largely bed-bound, live in a nursing home because of a disability, or have severely limited eyesight.

Question 6

How do I check a nursing home's rating and inspections?

Accepted Answer

Use Medicare's Care Compare for star ratings, inspections and staffing on any Medicare-certified nursing home. In Florida, FloridaHealthFinder shows licenses, inspection reports and complaints for nursing homes and assisted living.

Question 7

What's the difference between assisted living and a nursing home?

Accepted Answer

Assisted living helps with daily tasks like bathing, dressing, medications and meals in a residential setting. A nursing home (skilled nursing facility) provides 24-hour nursing care and is often used for short-term rehab after a hospital stay.

Question 8

My parent is being discharged from the hospital and can't go home alone. What now?

Accepted Answer

Ask the hospital whether the plan is rehab in a skilled nursing facility or a move to assisted living, confirm whether the stay was inpatient or observation, and get the discharge date in writing. Then find communities with openings that match the care needed.

Senior care questions, answered