Inpatient rehabilitation care

Medicare Part A (Hospital Insurance)

covers

medically necessary

care you get in an inpatient rehabilitation facility or unit (sometimes called an inpatient “rehab” facility, IRF, acute care rehabilitation center, or rehabilitation hospital). Your doctor must certify that you have a medical condition that requires intensive rehabilitation, continued medical supervision, and coordinated care that comes from your doctors and therapists working together.

Your costs in Original Medicare

You pay this for each benefit period :

Days 1-60: $1,600 deductible*
Days 61-90: A $400 copayment each day
Days 91 and beyond: An $800 copayment per each “ lifetime reserve day ” after day 90 (up to a maximum of 60 reserve days over your lifetime)
Each day after the lifetime reserve days: All costs

*You don’t have to pay a deductible for inpatient rehabilitation care if you were already charged a deductible for care you got in a prior hospitalization within the same benefit period. This is because your benefit period starts on day one of your prior hospital stay, and that stay counts towards your deductible. For example, you won’t have to pay a deductible for inpatient rehabilitation care if:

You’re transferred to an inpatient rehabilitation facility directly from an acute care hospital
You’re admitted to an inpatient rehabilitation facility within 60 days of being discharged from a hospital

What it is

Inpatient rehabilitation can help if you’re recovering from a serious surgery, illness, or injury and need an intensive rehabilitation therapy program, physician supervision, and coordinated care from your doctors and therapists.

Medicare-covered inpatient rehabilitation care includes:

Rehabilitation services, including physical therapy, occupational therapy, and speech-language pathology
A semi-private room
Meals
Nursing services
Prescription drugs
Other hospital services and supplies

Medicare doesn’t cover:

Private duty nursing
A phone or television in your room (if there’s a separate charge for these items)
Personal items, like toothpaste, socks, or razors (except when a hospital gives them as part of your hospital admission pack)
A private room, unless medically necessary

Things to know

Note

During the COVID-19 pandemic, inpatient rehabilitation facilities may accept you from an acute-care hospitals experiencing a surge, even if you don’t require rehabilitation care.

Medicare Part B (Medical Insurance)

covers doctors’ services you get while you’re in an inpatient rehabilitation facility.