Types of care
Skilled nursing facility (SNF)
A skilled nursing facility (SNF) is a Medicare-certified facility that provides nursing and therapy that only professionals can safely give. People often stay after a hospital visit to recover. Medicare Part A covers it for a short time when set requirements are met.
Why it matters for your family
An SNF stay often follows a hospital stay for a fall, stroke, or surgery. Medicare generally requires a medically necessary inpatient hospital stay of at least three days in a row. Time in the emergency room or under observation does not count. Medicare covers a limited number of days per benefit period, with daily costs after the first 20 days. A common mistake is assuming Medicare covers a long-term stay. It does not. Ask the hospital team early whether your loved one qualifies, and plan for home care or other help when coverage ends.
Source: medicare.gov
Related terms
- Skilled nursing careSkilled nursing care is nursing and therapy that only licensed professionals, or staff supervised by them, can safely provide.
- Nursing homeA nursing home is a residential facility that provides round-the-clock supervision, nursing care, meals, help with daily activities, and often rehabilitation.
- Medicare Part AMedicare Part A is hospital insurance.
- Rehabilitation careRehabilitation care is therapy that helps a person regain strength, movement, speech, or daily skills after an illness, injury, or surgery.
- Discharge planningDischarge planning is the process a hospital, nursing home or other facility uses to prepare a patient to leave.
- Hospital dischargeHospital discharge is when a patient leaves the hospital to go home or to another care setting.
