Does Medicare Cover Skilled Nursing and Nursing Home Care? The 3-Day Rule, the 100 Days and What You’ll Pay in 2026
Medicare covers short-term skilled nursing care after a hospital stay, not long-term nursing home care. Here's how the 3-day inpatient rule works, what days 1 to 100 cost in 2026, the observation-status trap, and what to do when coverage is ending.