Does
Medicare Cover
Long
Term Care Costs?
Currently, nationwide, most long term care is
provided by families, but those requiring more skilled care most
often pay
 for
the services out of own pocket or through personal insurance,
such as long term care insurance. According to
the US Administration on Aging, in 1995, Medicare paid for only
9% of national nursing home costs. Medicare covers only
short-term nursing home care in a Medicare-certified nursing
facility. The only care Medicare will pay for is
"skilled" care, such as ongoing nursing visits. Medicare also
requires recipients to have been hospitalized for at least 3
days prior to admission in a nursing home in order to be covered
for their skilled care. Home health care through
Medicare is available only under very restrictive conditions. In
order to receive benefits, you must be working with a
Medicare-approved home nursing agency receiving intermittent
care only. If you need daily care, Medicare reasons that you
should be confined to a nursing home.
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