U.S. · Medicare Part A
Medicare skilled nursing coinsurance, day by day.
What Original Medicare Part A leaves you to pay for a skilled nursing facility stay in 2026.
In 2026 you pay $0 a day for days 1 to 20 of a skilled nursing facility stay and $217 a day for days 21 to 100. From day 101 you pay all costs. The Part A deductible of $1,736 applies once per benefit period, and you do not owe it again for the SNF if you already paid it for a hospital stay in the same benefit period.
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Result
2026 SNF cost sharing
| SNF days in a benefit period | You pay (2026) |
|---|---|
| 1–20 | $0 a day after the $1,736 deductible |
| 21–100 | $217 a day |
| 101 and beyond | All costs |
Medicare Advantage plans can charge copayments from day 1, so check your plan.
Worked example: a 35-day stay
You enter the SNF straight from a hospital stay, with no deductible paid yet in this benefit period.
- Days 1–20: $0
- Days 21–35: 15 days × $217 = $3,255
- Deductible: $1,736
Total with a deductible not yet paid: $4,991. If a hospital stay already used the deductible, you owe only the $3,255.
Who qualifies for SNF coverage
Medicare covers SNF care only after a qualifying inpatient hospital stay of at least 3 days in a row (not counting the day you leave, and not counting time under observation or in the emergency room before admission). You generally need to enter the SNF within about 30 days, and need daily skilled care. Some accountable care organization and Medicare Advantage arrangements waive the 3-day rule.
What a benefit period is
A benefit period starts the day you are admitted as an inpatient and ends when you have been out of a hospital and out of skilled care for 60 days in a row (42 CFR 409.60). A new stay after that begins a new period with a new deductible. The 100-day SNF limit resets with it.
Limits of this estimate
The estimate covers Original Medicare Part A cost sharing only. Supplemental Medigap coverage, Medicaid and Advantage plans change what you actually pay. The 2027 amounts are published by CMS in the fall; this page shows calendar year 2026.
Sources
Primary sources opened and checked on November 2, 2026. This page has no affiliation with any agency; confirm with the agency before you rely on an amount or date.
- Medicare.gov, Skilled nursing facility (SNF) care. Read November 2, 2026.
- Federal Register, CY 2026 Inpatient Hospital Deductible and Hospital and Extended Care Services Coinsurance Amounts (Nov. 19, 2025). Read November 2, 2026.
- eCFR, 42 CFR 409.60 Benefit periods. Read November 2, 2026.
Frequently asked questions
How much is Medicare SNF coinsurance in 2026?
$217 a day for days 21 through 100 of a skilled nursing facility stay in a benefit period. Days 1 through 20 are $0 after the Part A deductible.
How many SNF days does Medicare cover?
Up to 100 days per benefit period, and only when you meet the coverage conditions, including a qualifying 3-day inpatient hospital stay.
Do I pay the deductible again for a SNF stay?
Not if you already paid the $1,736 Part A deductible for hospital care in the same benefit period.
What happens after day 100?
You pay all costs from day 101 on within that benefit period.
Do Medicare Advantage plans use the same costs?
Not necessarily. Plans may charge copayments from the first days, so ask your plan.
Not legal, financial or benefits advice
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