Key points
- Medicare may cover up to 100 days of skilled nursing care per benefit period after a qualifying hospital stay (Medicare.gov).
- In 2026, days 1 to 20 cost $0 after the $1,736 Part A deductible, and days 21 to 100 cost $217 a day (CMS).
- Medicare doesn’t pay for custodial care when that’s the only care you need (Medicare.gov).
- Long-term care insurance is designed to pay for exactly that care.
Many people expect Medicare to pay if they ever need a nursing home. It can, for a short time, under specific conditions. Here’s what that looks like in 2026, and why most families still need another plan.
What Medicare covers
Medicare Part A may cover skilled nursing facility care after a qualifying inpatient hospital stay of at least three days, when you need daily skilled nursing or therapy. Coverage lasts up to 100 days per benefit period (Medicare.gov).
What a stay costs in 2026
| Days | What you pay in 2026 |
|---|---|
| 1 to 20 | $0 after the $1,736 Part A deductible |
| 21 to 100 | $217 a day |
| 101 and beyond | All costs |
Source: CMS. A full 80 days of coinsurance adds up to $17,360. Many Medicare Supplement plans pay that coinsurance; Medicare Advantage plans set their own copays.
What it never covers
Medicare doesn’t pay for help with bathing, dressing, eating or using the bathroom when that’s the only care you need (Medicare.gov). That kind of help, called custodial care, is most of what long-term care is, at home, in assisted living or in a nursing home. And coverage often ends before day 100, when daily skilled care is no longer needed.
What comes after Medicare
At 2025 national medians, a semi-private nursing home room cost $114,975 a year, a private room $129,575, and a home care aide 44 hours a week about $80,080 (CareScout). After Medicare stops, families typically pay from savings until they qualify for Medicaid, or they rely on coverage bought in advance.
How long-term care insurance fills the gap
Long-term care insurance pays for the custodial care Medicare doesn’t. Benefits usually begin when you need help with two of six activities of daily living, or have a severe cognitive impairment, and after an elimination period you choose.
- Traditional coverage pays a daily or monthly benefit for care at home, in assisted living or in a nursing home.
- Hybrid life/LTC pays for care, or a death benefit if care is never needed.
- Annuity care turns existing savings into a larger pool for care.
Our page on Medicare and long-term care explains the full gap, and how long-term care insurance works compares all three options.
The time to plan is before the hospital stay
Insurance is medically underwritten, so it has to be in place before a diagnosis. As one benchmark, a healthy 55-year-old man could buy $165,000 of initial benefits for about $950 a year in 2026 on a level-benefit design (AALTCI). Your own price depends on age, health and the benefits you choose.
Common questions
How many days does Medicare pay for a nursing home?
Up to 100 days of skilled nursing facility care per benefit period, after a qualifying three-day inpatient hospital stay, and only while daily skilled care is needed.
What does a Medicare skilled nursing stay cost in 2026?
$0 for days 1 to 20 after the $1,736 Part A deductible, $217 a day for days 21 to 100, and all costs after day 100.
Does Medicare pay for custodial care?
No. Medicare doesn’t pay for help with daily activities like bathing and dressing when that’s the only care you need.
What pays for long-term care after Medicare stops?
Savings, Medicaid for those who qualify, or long-term care insurance bought in advance, including traditional, hybrid and annuity-based coverage.
Sources
- Medicare.gov: Skilled nursing facility care — www.medicare.gov/coverage/skilled-nursing-facility-care
- CMS: 2026 Medicare Parts A and B premiums and deductibles — www.cms.gov/newsroom/fact-sheets/2026-medicare-parts-b-premiums-deductibles
- Medicare.gov: Long-term care coverage — www.medicare.gov/coverage/long-term-care
- CareScout: 2025 Cost of Care Survey results — investor.genworth.com/news-events/press-releases/detail/1054/carescout-releases-
- American Association for Long-Term Care Insurance: 2026 Long-Term Care Insurance Price Index — www.aaltci.org/2026-AALTCI-Long-Term-Care-Insurance-Price-Index
Educational content only; not legal, tax or financial advice. Rules can change; confirm current details before you act.
Funding LTC Marketplace is operated by Central States Insurance Services, Inc., Ft. Myers, FL. George A. Mellendorf, CLTC, Florida licensed insurance agent, License # A175981, NPN # 538220. Verify at licenseesearch.fldfs.com/Licensee/211790. This is not an offer of insurance. Coverage, rates, and eligibility are determined by the issuing carrier through underwriting. Not affiliated with or endorsed by Medicare or any government agency.