Medicare Part A doesn’t cover assisted living, but does cover stays at skilled nursing facilities or hospitals and home or hospice healthcare. Assisted living is often covered by long-term care insurance.

As we get older, we may need more help with our daily activities. In these cases, assisted living may be an option. Assisted living is a type of long-term care for individuals who need help with daily activities, but not as much as in a nursing home.

Residents have their own apartments and common areas. It’s a bridge between living at home and in a nursing home, providing housing, health monitoring, and personal assistance while promoting independence.

That said, Medicare doesn’t generally cover long-term care like assisted living. Read on as we discuss what Medicare does and doesn’t cover and where to get support for assisted living costs.

Generally, Medicare Part A is responsible for covering stays in hospitals or care facilities. That said, assisted living facilities are different from skilled nursing facilities. People in assisted living are often more independent than those in a nursing home, but are still provided 24-hour supervision and help with activities like dressing or bathing.

Services provided in an assisted living facility often include things like:

Because this type of nonmedical care is considered custodial care, Part A doesn’t cover it. Part A only covers long-term care if you need to stay in a skilled nursing facility or hospital, or you need to receive occupational therapy, wound care, or physical therapy, after being discharged from such a stay, typically for up to 100 days.

Keep in mind, however, that if you’re enrolled in a Medicare Advantage (Part C) plan, your plan is managed by a private insurer and must provide the same benefits as Original Medicare (parts A and B). But, some Part C plans may offer assisted living benefits that Original Medicare doesn’t cover.

A stay at an assisted living facility could cost more than $100 a day and more than $3,000 a month. That said, this cost can be higher or lower than this, depending on a variety of factors, including:

  • location of the facility
  • specific facility chosen
  • level of service or supervision that’s needed

Part A does not pay for assisted living. However, Medicare may pay for adjacent care that is covered, such as hospitalizations or stays at mental health facilities or skilled nursing facilities. It also covers hospice care and home healthcare.

In this case, in order to get coverage, you must meet a $1,676 deductible. Once you do, Part A will cover your hospital stay and any rehabilitation services needed following surgery. Most people don’t pay a monthly premium for Part A.

On the other hand, if you are enrolled in a Part C plan and receive a covered medical service under your plan, your plan is managed by a private insurer. Your insurer will set its own premium, deductible, and coinsurance.

Since Medicare doesn’t cover assisted living, you’ll need to determine how you’ll pay for it. There are several possible options:

Medicare Part A won’t cover assisted living for dementia. It may, however, cover hospitalization, home healthcare, or stays at skilled nursing facilities related to dementia.

Medicare Part A doesn’t provide coverage for assisted living related to dementia. But, in 2025, Medicare Part A covers all inpatient hospital costs for the first 60 days and all skilled nursing facility costs for the first 20 days. After that, you begin to incur additional costs.

Since Original Medicare won’t cover assisted living, there won’t be facilities that accept Medicare. That said, you can find hospitals and skilled nursing facilities that accept Medicare on Medicare.gov.

If, on the other hand, you are enrolled in Part C and your plan covers additional assisted living benefits, you may need to use an in-network provider. You can contact your insurer for information on which providers are in-network.

Assisted living is a step between home and a nursing home. It combines medical monitoring with help with daily activities while providing as much independence as possible.

Original Medicare doesn’t cover assisted living, but some Medicare Advantage (Part C) plans might. The costs of assisted living can vary depending on your location and the level of care you need.

Assisted living care is often paid for out of pocket, through Medicaid, or through a long-term care insurance policy.