THE SHORT ANSWER

After a qualifying hospital stay, Medicare can pay for up to 100 days of skilled nursing care for rehab — days 1 to 20 in full, and days 21 to 100 with a daily coinsurance of $217 per day in 2026 — as long as the person keeps needing skilled care. Medicare does not pay for long-term custodial care. Patients have the right to a written discharge plan and to appeal a discharge they think is too soon.

Illustration of an older father and his adult son walking together on a tree-lined path

Many families start their senior care journey in a hospital hallway. A parent falls or gets sick, and within days someone from the hospital says it's time to talk about discharge. Decisions that deserve weeks get made in hours.

These pages are written for that moment: what Medicare pays for, what your rights are, and what to ask before anyone signs anything.

Start here

If you're in the hospital right now

  1. Ask whether your parent is "inpatient" or "under observation." It affects rehab coverage.
  2. Ask for the discharge plan in writing.
  3. If you think the discharge is unsafe or too soon, you can appeal. The Medicare appeals contact for New York is Commence Health (formerly Livanta), 1-866-815-5440.

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