Medicare covers up to 100 days of inpatient rehabilitation per benefit period, but you will pay different amounts depending on which days you use.

The 100-day limit applies to skilled nursing facility (SNF) care — rehabilitation in a facility after a hospital stay. Medicare Part A pays the full cost for days 1 through 20. From day 21 onward, you pay a daily coinsurance amount (in 2024, this is $200 per day, though the amount changes yearly). After day 100, Medicare stops paying and you are responsible for all costs.

This limit resets each time a new benefit period begins. A benefit period starts the day you enter the hospital and ends 60 days after you leave the facility without receiving any inpatient care. If you are readmitted to the hospital after that 60-day gap, a new benefit period begins and your day count resets to 1.

The 100-day limit is per benefit period, not per year, so the number of days you can use in a calendar year depends on how many benefit periods you have. Someone admitted to the hospital three times in one year could potentially use 300 days across three separate benefit periods.

Key Takeaways

  • Medicare Part A covers up to 100 days of skilled nursing facility care per benefit period, with you paying nothing for days 1–20 and a daily coinsurance amount for days 21–100.
  • A benefit period ends 60 days after you leave inpatient care, and a new one begins if you are readmitted to the hospital after that gap.
  • The 100-day limit resets with each new benefit period, so you may have access to more days if you have multiple hospital stays in one year.
  • Medicare does not cover custodial care or long-term residential rehabilitation; the facility must provide skilled nursing or rehabilitation services for Medicare to pay.

What counts as a covered rehabilitation day

Medicare only counts days spent in a skilled nursing facility — a place licensed to provide skilled nursing care or physical, occupational, or speech therapy. A regular nursing home or assisted living facility does not count unless it is also licensed as a skilled nursing facility and you are receiving skilled care there.

You must also meet two conditions: you must have been an inpatient in a hospital for at least three consecutive days (not counting the day you were discharged), and you must be admitted to the skilled nursing facility within 30 days of leaving the hospital. If you wait more than 30 days, Medicare will not cover the stay, even if you need rehabilitation.

The care itself must be skilled care — services that require a nurse or therapist. Physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, wound care, and intravenous medication administration all count. Help with bathing, dressing, or eating alone does not count as skilled care, even if you need it.

How the daily costs work after day 20

For days 21 through 100, you pay a coinsurance amount each day. This is not the full cost of care — Medicare pays the rest. The coinsurance amount is set by Medicare and changes each year. In 2024, the daily coinsurance for skilled nursing facility care is $200, but you should confirm the current year's amount with your facility or Medicare directly, as it increases annually.

Some supplemental insurance plans (Medigap) cover part or all of this coinsurance, so check your policy. Medicare Advantage plans (Part C) may also cover some or all of the coinsurance, though the amount varies by plan. If you have neither supplemental insurance nor a Medicare Advantage plan, you will owe the full daily coinsurance amount out of pocket.

The coinsurance applies only to days you actually spend in the facility. If you are discharged on day 47, you pay coinsurance for days 21 through 47 — not for the remaining days up to 100.

When Medicare stops covering rehabilitation days

Medicare stops paying after day 100 of a benefit period, even if you still need rehabilitation. At that point, you must either pay out of pocket, switch to a different type of care (such as outpatient therapy), or leave the facility. Some facilities will discharge you; others may allow you to stay as a private-pay resident.

Your rehabilitation may also stop before day 100 if Medicare determines you are no longer making progress toward your goals. Medicare reviews your care periodically, and if the facility cannot show that you are improving, Medicare may deny payment for further days. The facility must notify you in writing if this happens, and you have the right to appeal.

If you are discharged before day 100 and then readmitted to the hospital within 60 days, you return to the same benefit period and your day count continues from where it left off. For example, if you used 45 days, were discharged, and then readmitted 30 days later, your next stay would count as days 46 onward in the same benefit period.

Outpatient rehabilitation and home health therapy

The 100-day limit applies only to inpatient skilled nursing facility care. Outpatient rehabilitation — therapy you receive at a clinic or hospital while living at home — is covered under a different part of Medicare (Part B) and has different limits.

Medicare Part B covers outpatient physical therapy, occupational therapy, and speech therapy, but there are annual spending limits rather than day limits. In 2024, the limit is $2,200 per therapy type per year, though this can change. Once you reach the spending limit, you can request an exception, and Medicare may approve more therapy if your doctor documents medical necessity.

Home health therapy — rehabilitation services provided by a nurse or therapist who visits your home — is covered under Part A and does not count against the 100-day limit. Home health is covered as long as you are homebound and your doctor orders it, with no specific day limit, though Medicare reviews whether the care is still medically necessary.

How to find out how many days you have left

Your Medicare Summary Notice (the bill you receive after each hospital or facility stay) shows how many days you have used in your current benefit period. You can also call Medicare at 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227) and ask about your remaining days. Have your Medicare number ready.

If you are currently in a skilled nursing facility, the facility's billing department can tell you how many days Medicare will cover and what your out-of-pocket cost will be. Ask them to put this in writing so you have a record.

You can also check your coverage online through your Medicare account at Medicare.gov. Log in, go to "Coverage," and look for information about your current benefit period and hospital or facility stays.

What happens if you need more than 100 days

If you exhaust your 100 days and still need rehabilitation, you have several options. You can pay out of pocket if you have the resources. You can move to a long-term care facility and pay privately. You can switch to outpatient therapy if you are able to leave the facility. Or you can explore whether Medicaid (the joint federal-state program for low-income people) covers long-term care in your state — Medicaid rules vary widely, and some states cover extended nursing facility stays.

Some facilities offer a payment plan or can refer you to financial counseling. It is worth asking the facility's social worker or financial counselor what options exist in your situation. They may know about local programs or charities that help with rehabilitation costs.

If you have a Medicare Advantage plan (Part C), review your plan documents or call the plan to ask whether it covers rehabilitation beyond the standard 100 days. Some plans offer additional days, though this varies by plan and year.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do the 100 days include the three days I spent in the hospital?

No. The three-day hospital stay is a requirement to may have access to for skilled nursing facility coverage, but those days do not count toward your 100-day limit. Your 100 days begin when you are admitted to the skilled nursing facility.

If I go home after 30 days and then need to go back to rehabilitation, do I start over at day 1?

It depends on timing. If you are readmitted to the hospital within 60 days of leaving the facility, you are still in the same benefit period and your day count continues. If more than 60 days pass without a hospital stay, a new benefit period begins and your count resets to 1.

Does Medicare cover rehabilitation at home?

Yes, but under different rules. Home health therapy is covered under Part A with no day limit, as long as you are homebound and your doctor orders it. Outpatient therapy is covered under Part B with annual spending limits instead of day limits.

Will Medicare pay for rehabilitation in an assisted living facility?

Only if the assisted living facility is also licensed as a skilled nursing facility and you are receiving skilled nursing or therapy services there. Most assisted living facilities do not meet this requirement, so Medicare will not pay. Ask the facility whether it is Medicare-certified for skilled nursing care.

What if my doctor says I need more than 100 days?

Your doctor's opinion does not override Medicare's 100-day limit per benefit period. However, if Medicare denies payment before day 100, you can appeal. You can also ask your doctor to document that you are making progress, which may help if Medicare questions whether further care is medically necessary.