Medicare 100-day rule · 2026 rates

Medicare Skilled Nursing Coverage Calculator

See how many days of a rehab or nursing home stay Medicare pays for, the $217.00 daily copay after day 20, and the date the 100 days run out.

30of 30 days coveredCopay from day 2110 days at $217.00.

Day 30

Days 1–20 · Medicare pays 100%
Days 21–100 · you pay $217.00 a day
After day 100 · not covered

$2,170Estimated out of pocketDaily copay after day 20

Oct 8, 2026Medicare coverage endsLast covered day of this stay

10Copay days$217.00 each in 2026

70Benefit days leftof 100 after this stay

Medicare pays 100%Benefit days 1–20 · Sep 9, 2026 – Sep 28, 202620 days$0
Daily copayBenefit days 21–30 · Sep 29, 2026 – Oct 8, 202610 days$2,170

Rates: CMS, 2026 Medicare Parts A & B Premiums and Deductibles (cms.gov). Coverage also requires daily skilled care ordered by a doctor; a facility can stop billing Medicare earlier if the care is no longer skilled.

How Medicare coverage works

A 3-day inpatient hospital stay unlocks up to 100 skilled nursing days per benefit period.
Days 1–20: Medicare pays 100%. You owe nothing.
Days 21–100: you pay $217.00 a day in 2026. Most Medigap plans cover it.
Day 101 on: Medicare pays nothing until a new benefit period starts, after 60 days without hospital or skilled care.

Coverage also requires daily skilled care ordered by a doctor; a facility can stop billing Medicare before day 100 if the care is no longer skilled, and Medicare Advantage plans apply their own rules. This is an informational estimate from published CMS figures, not legal, financial, or benefits advice. Confirm specifics with Medicare (1-800-MEDICARE), your SHIP counselor, or the facility’s billing office.

How many days does Medicare pay for rehab in a skilled nursing facility?

Medicare Part A covers up to 100 days of skilled nursing facility care per benefit period. Days 1 through 20 are covered in full. For days 21 through 100 you pay a daily coinsurance ($217 per day in 2026). Medicare pays nothing after day 100 in the same benefit period.

What is the Medicare 100-day rule?

The 100-day rule is the maximum number of skilled nursing days Medicare Part A covers in one benefit period. A benefit period begins the day you are admitted to a hospital or skilled nursing facility as an inpatient and ends after 60 consecutive days without inpatient hospital or skilled care. A new benefit period resets the 100 days.

Do I need a 3-day hospital stay before Medicare covers a nursing home?

In Original Medicare, yes: you need a qualifying inpatient hospital stay of at least three consecutive days (not counting the discharge day, and not counting observation status) within 30 days before admission to the skilled nursing facility. Some Medicare Advantage plans and accountable care organizations waive this requirement.

Does Medigap cover the skilled nursing coinsurance?

Most Medigap plans (C, D, F, G, M, N and high-deductible variants) cover the days 21–100 skilled nursing coinsurance in full. Plans K and L cover part of it. Check your plan documents for the exact benefit.

Does Medicare pay for long-term nursing home care?

No. Medicare only covers short-term skilled nursing or rehabilitation after a qualifying hospital stay. Long-term custodial care is paid privately, through long-term care insurance, or by Medicaid once you qualify. Use our nursing home cost calculator to plan for that.