Nursing Home & Skilled Nursing Facilities
Learn about nursing homes and skilled nursing facilities: what they provide, typical costs ($8,000–$11,000/mo), Medicare and Medicaid coverage, and how to choose a quality facility.
What is Nursing Home?
Nursing homes — formally known as skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) — provide 24-hour medical and personal care for individuals who require ongoing skilled nursing supervision. They serve both long-term residents with chronic conditions and short-term residents recovering from surgery, illness, or injury. Nursing homes are the most medically intensive residential care setting available outside of a hospital.
Who is Nursing Home for?
Nursing homes are appropriate for seniors with complex medical needs that cannot be safely managed in a less intensive setting — such as those recovering from a stroke, hip replacement, or serious illness; individuals requiring wound care, IV therapy, or ventilator support; and those with advanced dementia or other conditions requiring constant supervision and skilled nursing care.
Typical Costs
$8,000 – $11,000 per month
National average range
Nursing home costs are significantly higher than other senior living options due to around-the-clock nursing care. The national median cost for a semi-private room is approximately $8,000 per month; a private room averages $9,000 to $10,500 per month. Medicare covers skilled nursing facility care for up to 100 days following a qualifying 3-day hospital stay, subject to copays after day 20. Medicaid covers long-term nursing home care for eligible individuals who have exhausted their assets.
What to Expect
- 24-hour licensed nursing care (RNs and LPNs on-site)
- Physician oversight and medical management
- Physical, occupational, and speech therapy
- Wound care, IV therapy, and post-surgical recovery
- Assistance with all activities of daily living
- Nutritional support and specialized diets
- Social work and discharge planning services
Nursing Home Communities in Our Directory
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Frequently Asked Questions About Nursing Home
- Does Medicare cover nursing home care?
- Medicare covers skilled nursing facility (SNF) care for up to 100 days per benefit period, but only after a qualifying hospital stay of at least 3 consecutive days. Days 1–20 are covered in full; days 21–100 require a daily copay (approximately $200 per day in 2025). After 100 days, Medicare coverage ends. Medicare does not cover long-term custodial care — the type most nursing home residents ultimately need. Medicaid covers long-term nursing home care for those who meet financial eligibility requirements.
- What is the difference between a nursing home and assisted living?
- Nursing homes provide 24-hour skilled nursing care for individuals with significant medical needs. Assisted living provides personal care support (bathing, dressing, medication management) for seniors who need help with daily activities but do not require continuous medical supervision. Nursing homes are regulated more strictly, are more expensive, and serve a higher-acuity population. Assisted living is more residential in character.
- How do I evaluate the quality of a nursing home?
- The federal government's Care Compare tool (medicare.gov/care-compare) rates every Medicare- and Medicaid-certified nursing home on health inspections, staffing levels, and quality measures. A five-star overall rating is the highest. Look specifically at the health inspection component — it is based on state survey results and indicates whether the facility had deficiencies in resident care, safety, or administration. Staffing ratios are also a critical quality indicator.
- What rights do nursing home residents have?
- Nursing home residents have extensive federal rights under the Nursing Home Reform Act, including the right to be treated with dignity, to receive information about their care, to participate in care planning, to be free from abuse and restraints, to privacy, and to voice grievances without retaliation. Every nursing home must post a Resident Bill of Rights and have a resident council. Long-term care ombudsman programs in every state provide free advocacy for residents.
- What is the difference between short-term and long-term nursing home care?
- Short-term care (also called post-acute or subacute care) is for individuals recovering from a hospital stay and needing rehabilitation or skilled nursing before returning home. This is the care Medicare covers for up to 100 days. Long-term care is for individuals who cannot safely return home and need ongoing nursing supervision and personal care. Long-term residents are typically covered by Medicaid once their private funds are spent down to Medicaid eligibility levels.