The short answer
Medicare is health insurance. It pays when you need skilled care from a nurse or therapist, for a limited time, usually to recover. It does not pay for custodial care: help with bathing, dressing, eating, using the toilet or supervision because of memory loss, when that is the only care needed.
That distinction decides most of what follows. Most long-term care in assisted living, nursing homes and at home is custodial, so families pay privately, use long-term care insurance or veterans’ benefits, or qualify for Medi-Cal.
Skilled nursing facility (rehab after a hospital stay)
Medicare Part A covers a stay in a Medicare-certified skilled nursing facility only after a qualifying inpatient hospital stay of at least 3 days in a row. The day you are admitted as an inpatient counts; the day you leave does not.
Watch for “observation” status. Time in the emergency room or under observation does not count toward the 3 days, even if you stayed overnight in a hospital bed. Ask the hospital directly: “Is my parent an inpatient or under observation?”
What you pay in 2026, per benefit period: $0 for days 1–20, $217 a day for days 21–100, and all costs from day 101. Coverage also stops sooner if the person no longer needs daily skilled care.
Some Medicare Advantage plans, and doctors in certain Accountable Care Organizations, can waive the 3-day hospital rule. Ask the plan or the doctor before admission.
Home health care
Medicare covers part-time skilled nursing and therapy at home, at $0 for covered services, when a doctor certifies the person is homebound and needs skilled care. No hospital stay is required first.
Home health is not the same as home care. Medicare does not pay for an aide whose only job is help with bathing, meals or companionship. That is home care, usually paid privately.
Find Medicare-certified home health agencies Find licensed home care agencies
Hospice
Medicare Part A covers hospice when a doctor certifies a life expectancy of six months or less if the illness runs its normal course, and the person chooses comfort care instead of treatment aimed at a cure. It covers nursing visits, aides, medical equipment, medications for pain and symptoms, and support for the family, usually at home.
Hospice does not pay for room and board in an assisted living home or a nursing home. If your parent lives in one, the family keeps paying that bill.
Assisted living and memory care
Medicare does not pay for assisted living or memory care: not the rent, meals or personal care. It still pays for covered medical services a resident receives there, such as doctor visits, therapy or home health visits.
In 15 California counties, the Medi-Cal Assisted Living Waiver can pay the care portion for people who would otherwise qualify for a nursing home.
The 2026 numbers
| Part A deductible (each benefit period) | $1,736 |
|---|---|
| Hospital coinsurance, days 61–90 | $434 a day |
| Skilled nursing facility, days 1–20 | $0 |
| Skilled nursing facility, days 21–100 | $217 a day |
| Skilled nursing facility, day 101 on | All costs |
| Home health care (covered services) | $0 |
| Part B standard premium | $202.90 a month |
| Part B deductible | $283 a year |
Common questions
Does Medicare pay for a nursing home?
Only for a short skilled stay after a qualifying 3-day inpatient hospital stay: $0 for days 1–20 and $217 a day for days 21–100 in 2026. It does not pay for long-term custodial care in a nursing home.
Does Medicare pay for assisted living?
No. Medicare does not pay rent, meals or personal care in assisted living or memory care. It still covers medical services a resident receives there.
Does Medicare pay for in-home caregivers?
Not for non-medical help such as bathing, meals or companionship. It covers part-time skilled nursing and therapy at home for people who are homebound, at $0 for covered services.
Who can help me with Medicare questions for free?
California’s Health Insurance Counseling and Advocacy Program (HICAP) gives free, unbiased Medicare counseling: (800) 434-0222.
Sources
Figures checked November 14, 2026. Rules and amounts change, usually each January (Medicare, Medi-Cal) or December (VA). Confirm with the agency before you decide.
Later Stages gives information, not legal or financial advice. For decisions about benefits, transfers or trusts, talk with the agency, HICAP at (800) 434-0222, or an elder law attorney.