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It can but does it on a limited & specific basis.

MediCARE is health insurance. It will pay for things that are a covered benefit by your Medicare policy as your health insurance. So it covers hospitalization, rehabilitation, physical therapy, doctor & healthcare provider fees, labs, testing, etc. Hospice and PACE are Medicare benefits as well. As Medicare is health insurance, it is one’s primary health insurance so you will need a secondary/ supplemental health insurance to go with your Medicare. Your secondary could be like BCBS, Humana or if your eligible then Medicaid as health insurance.

Unless you have switched out from Original Medicare to a Medicare Advantage Plan. If you went with an AP, it’s both primary & secondary.

Medicare does not pay for custodial care costs, like room & board residential costs in a facility like a NH. Custodial care costs (7K-15K a mo.) are paid either by private pay, long term care insurance / LTCI or if you are medically & financially eligible then your States Long Term Care Medicaid program can pay NH custodial care costs. Some States do LTC Medicaid “waivers” for placement in AL & MC.

About 60%-80% of NH admissions are a post hospitalization discharge to a SNF for rehabilitation. Both the hospitalization and rehab are Medicare benefits. What tends to happen is that initially - as Medicare is paying - the elder / POA / family don’t fret on co$t$. But as it’s health insurance, it is a time limited coverage which often comes as a surprise to the elder / POA / family. Most elders end up plateaued or not progressing or finish up in their rehab in 3-5 weeks. When that happens, health insurance stops paying for them to be there as a rehab patient. If they want to stay in the NH, they will segueway from being a rehab patient to custodial care long term resident.
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Reply to igloo572
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No it does not pay for long term care in a nursing home.

Medicare will pay the rehab portion of the patient in a SNF. That rehab part of the facility may be at the same facility that also has Long Term Care (commonly known as "nursing home care"). But, they are treated separately and the LTC is paid for Medicaid when application is submitted and approved.
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Reply to AMZebbC
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No. Medicare does not pay for a nursing home, assisted living, or memory care. It will pay for UP TO 100 days per year in a nursing home if a person needs skilled medical care. This does not mean a person is going to get 100 days paid for.

Medicare doesn't pay for homecare either. It will sometimes pay for a very limited amount of in-home skilled care like a visiting nurse to stop by for five minutes once a week. Or for a physical therapist who to comes a few times. It does not pay for unskilled care like CNA services, homemaker, or elder-sitting companion hours. All that's out-of-pocket unless you have a LTC policy that covers it or you're on Medicaid.
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Reply to BurntCaregiver
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Medicare pays for medical care, not custodial care. This is why it doesn't pay for AL or MC. It will pay for LTC once the applicant also qualifies financially. Medicare will pay for hospice up to a certain point.
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Reply to Geaton777
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newbiewife Aug 22, 2025
Medicare does not pay for long term care of any kind. I believe you are thinking of Medicaid. Medicare pays for medical services, and does cover rehab for short periods.
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