Why coverage ends
Medicare Part A can cover a skilled nursing facility stay after a qualifying hospital stay, which means at least three days as an admitted inpatient; observation days do not count. It covers up to 100 days in a benefit period, and pays only while the person needs skilled care, such as daily therapy or nursing. Days 1 to 20 have no coinsurance; days 21 to 100 cost $217 a day in 2026. Many stays end well before day 100 because the person has stopped making progress or no longer needs skilled care.
You can appeal
Before Medicare-covered services end, the facility must give a written notice that explains how to request a fast appeal. The appeal is free. Ask by noon the day before services end, following the instructions on the notice. If the appeal is denied and your parent keeps receiving services after the coverage end date, you may have to pay for those days, so keep planning the move while you wait for the decision.
Start the search the same day
Do this today
Do not wait for the appeal result to start looking.
Get the facility's most recent therapy and nursing notes, and ask for a physician's report (LIC 602A) and a TB test, which any board and care home will need.
If your parent still needs help with transfers, bathing, and medications, but not daily skilled care, a board and care home is often the right next step. We often place people directly from skilled nursing facilities.
Reviewed October 2, 2026. General information, not medical or legal advice. Talk with your loved one's doctor about their health.
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