Medicare can cover care in a skilled nursing facility, or SNF, after a hospital stay if you meet Medicare’s requirements. A doctor’s recommendation for rehabilitation does not by itself guarantee coverage.

Original Medicare Requirements

You generally must:

  • Have Part A and available SNF benefit days
  • Complete a qualifying inpatient hospital stay of at least three consecutive days, not counting the discharge day
  • Enter the SNF generally within 30 days
  • Need daily skilled nursing or therapy related to the hospital-treated condition or a condition arising during SNF care
  • Use a Medicare-certified facility

Time spent under hospital observation is outpatient time and generally does not count toward the three-day inpatient requirement. Certain approved programs and Medicare Advantage plans may waive that requirement.

What Does It Cover?

Covered care can include a semiprivate room, meals, skilled nursing, medications, supplies, and medically necessary physical, occupational, or speech therapy.

In 2026, Original Medicare SNF costs per benefit period are:

  • Days 1–20: $0 per day after the applicable Part A deductible; a deductible already paid for hospital care in that benefit period is not charged again
  • Days 21–100: $217 per day
  • Day 101 and beyond: All costs

Medicare covers only while you continue to need qualifying skilled care.

Medicare Advantage

Plans may use networks, require approval before care, charge different copayments, or have different hospital-stay rules. Before a transfer, check that the facility is in your plan’s network and that any required approval is in place.

Review Medicare's SNF coverage requirements.

If Coverage Is Ending or Hospital Status Changes

Skilled care may be covered to help you keep your abilities or slow their decline; improvement is not always required. The 100 days are a maximum, not a promise of payment for every stay. If you receive a notice ending covered care, read its instructions immediately for requesting a fast appeal, which asks Medicare to review the decision quickly. Follow the deadline on the notice.

Observation time usually does not count toward Original Medicare’s qualifying inpatient stay. Some changes from inpatient to observation status have a specific appeal route; not every observation stay qualifies. The regular deadline to appeal certain past hospital stays was January 2, 2026. You may still be able to file late if you have a qualifying reason, called good cause. See Medicare’s hospital-status appeal guidance.

Before transfer, ask the hospital which days count toward SNF eligibility and ask the receiving facility to explain expected charges. Keep the hospital status notice and any end-of-care notice with your admission records.

Medicare policy sources last checked: October 8, 2026.