Skilled Nursing Facilities and Nursing Homes are facilities for people who need 24-hour care, either short-term or long-term. Skilled nursing facility care (like changing sterile bandages or intravenous (IV) therapy) is the highest level of short-term or long-term residential care. Some long-term nursing home care is less medical care and more custodial care, like help with bathing or dressing. Many facilities provide both short-term and long-term care, including:
The cost of skilled nursing facilities varies by location and room size, but the cost is driven by the high level of medical care and 24-hour monitoring needed. For 2024, the national median monthly cost of a private room in a nursing home is $9,034.
Skilled Nursing Facilities are licensed to provide a high level of medical care for the short-term or longer-term care for a progressive condition such as dementia, while a nursing home provides long-term custodial support for chronic, more stable conditions.
Medicare covers up to 100 days of care in a skilled nursing facility if five requirements are met. Medicare generally doesn’t cover long-term stays in a nursing home, but it may pay for some related costs, such as doctor services and medical supplies.
Medicaid may also cover some of the costs of nursing homes in Vermont for people who are eligible based on income and personal resources.
If the older person has long-term care insurance, the policy may include some coverage for nursing home care.
