Original Medicare generally doesn't cover the cost of a nursing home, assisted living facility, or long-term care facility. Medicare Part A does cover care provided in a skilled nursing facility with certain conditions and time limitations. Original Medicare (parts A and B) doesn't cover all health care services, including eye, hearing and dental care. However, Medicare Advantage (Part C) plans may offer coverage for some of these services. Medicare covers many health services, but some treatments and types of care are excluded.
Find out what may not be covered. In general, Medicare Part A (also known as hospital insurance) can cover inpatient hospital care, nursing facility care, nursing home care, palliative care, and home health care. If you qualify, Medicaid, which is administered by states according to federal guidelines, can cover nursing home care. Medicare Part B (health insurance) helps cover the cost of medically necessary durable medical equipment if a doctor prescribes it for use in the home. Nor does it cover help for what are called “activities of daily living”, such as bathing, dressing, going to the bathroom, eating, or moving from one place to another in the house.
For example, Medicare doesn't cover breast augmentation for cosmetic reasons, but reconstructive surgery after a mastectomy does...
