Will Medicare pay for nursing-home care?

By Sandra Teel

Steel Medicare Insurance Agency

Therearelimitedcircumstances when Medicare will pay for nursing- home care. If you have been admitted to the hospital for at least three days, after hospitalization, Medicare will cover 100 percent of care at a skilled nursing facility for the first 20 days. Starting on day 21, youwouldhaveacoinsuranceofup to $185.50 per day until day 101.

Many Medicare Advantage plans and Supplemental plans help tocoveratleastaportionofthecoinsurance. Many will also help to pay for limited in-home, intermittent nursing services and or physical/ occupational therapy. Some even offer home-delivered meals after hospitalization. It’s important to know what Medicare Advantage and the Supplemental plans offer so you can make the right choice.

But Medicare does not pay for “custodial care,” which is considered long-term support for daily activities of living such as bathing, dressing, food shopping, housekeeping, etc. Custodial care can be at home or in a long-term assisted-living facility.

If you or a loved one needs long-term care, you’re on your own financially. If you are facing long-term care needs, you can contact Social Security to see if you qualifyforfinancialassistancesuch as Medicaid. You can also look into qualifying for a private, long-termcare insurance policy.

TheGeneralEnrollmentPeriod for Medicare runs Jan. 1-March 31. During this time, people can enroll in Medicare Parts A and B for coverage that will begin July 1.

Sandra Teel is a licensed independent brokerwhocanbecontacted via www.steelmedicareins.com or by calling (657) 204-4224.