Kinds of care

What is Skilled nursing facility?

A skilled nursing facility, commonly called a nursing home, provides round-the-clock nursing care, and is federally regulated and rated by Medicare.

Medicare covers a short stay after a qualifying hospital admission, for rehabilitation, not for long-term custodial care. Long stays are paid privately or by Medicaid once assets are spent down.

Medicare Care Compare publishes inspection results, staffing levels and quality measures for every certified home.

Why it matters

The distinction between a Medicare rehabilitation stay and a long-term stay decides who pays, and families are often surprised by it.

Sources

Where to check this, and where to read more. All external and all authoritative.

Related terms

All 92 terms, A to Z