Nursing home care

Medicare doesn't cover custodial care, if it's the only care you need. Most nursing home care is

custodial care [glossary]

, which helps you with activities of daily living (like bathing, dressing, using the bathroom, and eating) or personal needs that could be done safely and reasonably without professional skills or training. 

Medicare Part A (Hospital Insurance)

 may cover care in a certified skilled nursing facility (SNF). It must be 

medically necessary

 for you to have

skilled nursing care

 (like changing sterile dressings).

Things to know

Note

Some Medicare Advantage Plans (Part C) offer extra benefits that Original Medicare doesn’t cover - like vision, hearing, or dental. Contact the plan for more information.

Is my test, item, or service covered?