Short answer: Medicare pays for a short skilled nursing facility stay after a qualifying hospital stay, not for long-term care. Medicaid, VA benefits and long-term care insurance are other ways to pay, and federal rules limit what a nursing home can ask a family member to sign. Check these before you borrow. This is general information, not legal advice.
Medicare: skilled nursing facility care
- You need a medically necessary inpatient hospital stay of at least 3 days in a row, and you generally enter the facility within 30 days of leaving the hospital (Medicare.gov).
- Your provider must find that you need daily skilled care, for a condition that was also treated during the hospital stay, and the care is for a limited time (Medicare.gov).
- Coverage is limited to 100 days in each benefit period (Medicare.gov).
Costs per benefit period in 2026, as Medicare.gov lists them (Medicare.gov):
| Days | What you pay in 2026 |
|---|---|
| 1 to 20 | $0 each day after you pay the $1,736 deductible |
| 21 to 100 | $217 each day |
| 101 and beyond | All costs |
Medicare does not pay for long-term care, and Medicare.gov says Medicare and most health insurance, including Medigap, do not pay for long-term care services, including care in a nursing home. It names Medicaid, if you meet your state's eligibility rules, and private long-term care insurance as ways to pay (Medicare.gov).
Medicaid nursing facility services
State Medicaid programs are required to provide nursing facility services for people age 21 or older who need them, and states may not put this service on waiting lists. Each state sets its own level-of-care criteria for who needs it (Medicaid.gov). Ask your state Medicaid agency how its rules apply to you. For Medicaid care at home instead, and the Eldercare Locator, see home care costs for a parent.
VA nursing home care
The VA offers nursing home care in three settings: Community Living Centers run by the VA, community nursing homes the VA contracts with, and State Veterans Homes. Whether VA benefits help pay depends on your income and the level of your service-connected disability, and you may owe a copay for some covered services (VA).
What a nursing home cannot require a family member to sign
Under federal rules for Medicare and Medicaid facilities, a nursing home must not request or require a third party guarantee of payment as a condition of admission, expedited admission or continued stay. It may ask a resident representative who has legal access to the resident's income or resources to sign a contract to pay the facility from those funds, without personal financial liability (42 CFR 483.15(a)(3)). The same section says a facility must not ask residents to waive their rights to Medicare or Medicaid (42 CFR 483.15(a)(2)). Read any admission agreement before signing, and ask which line makes you personally responsible.
If you still need to borrow
This example is only for the math, not an average price for a stay. It borrows $3,000 over 24 months at the Federal Reserve's August 2026 averages: 11.90% APR for 24-month personal loans and 22.36% for credit card plans (G.19). Your rate depends on your credit and the lender.
| Option | Monthly payment | Interest | Total paid |
|---|---|---|---|
| Personal loan at 11.90% | $141.08 | $385.92 | $3,385.92 |
| Credit card at 22.36% | $156.17 | $748.08 | $3,748.08 |
$141.08 x 24 = $3,385.92, and $156.17 x 24 = $3,748.08. How to fit a payment in is in how to budget for a loan payment, and for bills you already have, see medical bill payment plan vs personal loan.
Checklist before admission
- Confirm the hospital stay was an inpatient stay of at least 3 days in a row, and count the days in the benefit period.
- Ask the facility whether it takes Medicare and Medicaid, and ask your state Medicaid agency about eligibility.
- If the person is a veteran, ask the VA about Community Living Centers, community nursing homes and State Veterans Homes.
- Check any long-term care insurance policy for what it pays and when.
- Read the admission agreement for any personal guarantee before you sign.
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Sources
- Medicare.gov: Skilled nursing facility (SNF) care
- Medicare.gov: Long-term care
- Medicaid.gov: Nursing facilities
- VA: Nursing homes, assisted living, and home health care
- 42 CFR 483.15: Admission, transfer, and discharge rights
- Federal Reserve: G.19 Consumer Credit (released October 7, 2026), terms of credit, August 2026: credit card plans and 24-month personal loans
Disclosure: Modern Lending Solutions is not a lender, loan broker or agent for any lender or loan broker, and does not make credit decisions. Any compensation we receive is paid by participating lenders, only for advertising services. This guide is general information, not financial or legal advice.