Does Medicare pay for long-term care?
Short-term skilled care, yes. Long-term custodial care, no.
One of the most common and costly surprises in retirement is discovering that Medicare doesn't pay for long-term care. It covers skilled care for a limited time while you recover. It doesn't cover ongoing help with daily activities, which is what most long-term care is.
Skilled care versus custodial care
Skilled care needs trained staff, such as nurses or therapists: wound care, IV medication, physical therapy after surgery. Custodial care is help with activities of daily living, such as bathing, dressing, eating and using the bathroom. Medicare doesn't pay for custodial care when it's the only care you need, and Medigap doesn't either.
Skilled nursing facility coverage and its limits
Part A covers care in a skilled nursing facility only after a qualifying inpatient hospital stay of at least 3 days, and only while you need daily skilled care. Days under observation status don't count toward the 3 days.
- Days 1 to 20: $0 per benefit period.
- Days 21 to 100: up to $217 a day in 2026.
- After day 100: you pay all costs.
Home health care
Medicare can cover part-time or intermittent skilled nursing, therapy and some home health aide services if you're homebound and a doctor certifies you need them. It doesn't cover 24-hour care at home or homemaker services when those are the only care you need.
Who pays for long-term care instead
- Personal savings and income, the most common source.
- Long-term care insurance, bought well before it's needed and subject to underwriting.
- Life insurance with a long-term care or chronic illness rider.
- Medicaid, the largest public payer of long-term nursing home care, for people who meet its income and asset rules.
- Veterans' benefits, for eligible veterans.
Common questions
Not for long-term custodial care. Medicare covers short-term skilled nursing after a qualifying hospital stay, and hospice if you qualify, but not ongoing custodial care in a nursing home.
No. Medigap can cover the skilled nursing facility coinsurance for days 21 to 100 in most plans, but it doesn't cover custodial care or care beyond Medicare's limits.
Not long-term custodial care. Some plans offer limited in-home support services, and Special Needs Plans exist for people living in institutions, but they aren't long-term care insurance.
Want help with your own choices?
Every state runs a State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) with trained counselors who give free, unbiased Medicare help and do not sell plans. Find yours on our Medicare by state pages, or call Medicare at 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227) (TTY 1-877-486-2048, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week).
Planning the rest of your coverage in retirement? We can help with life insurance later in life and final expense coverage.
Sources
- Long-term care, Medicare.gov. Checked September 29, 2026.
- 2026 Medicare Parts A & B Premiums and Deductibles, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. Checked September 29, 2026.
- Medicare costs, Medicare.gov. Checked September 29, 2026.
General information about the federal Medicare program, not advice about your situation. Figures are for 2026 unless stated and change every year; last reviewed September 29, 2026. Quote My Policy is a private company. Not connected with or endorsed by the United States government or the federal Medicare program.
Quote My Policy does not sell Medicare plans on this site. For plan-specific help, contact Medicare at 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227) (TTY 1-877-486-2048, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week) or your State Health Insurance Assistance Program.