• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Home
  • Who We Are
    • About Our Firm
    • Career Opportunities
    • Meet Our Team
    • News and Events
    • Seniors Rock Radio
  • Estate Planning
    • Elder Law & Medicaid Planning
    • Estate Planning Services
    • Estate and Gift Tax Figures
    • Family Farm Succession Planning
    • Family-Owned Businesses & Farms
    • IRA Planning
      • Planning With An IRA
      • IRA & Retirement Planning
    • Legacy Planning Services
    • LGBTQ Estate Planning
    • Pet Planning
    • SECURE Act
    • Special Needs Planning
    • Trust Administration & Probate
    • Young Families
  • Elder Law
    • Coping With Alzheimer’s
    • Elder Law Resources
      • Elder Law Reports
    • Guardianship & Conservatorship
    • Hospice Care
    • Veteran’s Benefits
  • Resources
    • Definitions
    • FREE Estate Planning Worksheet
    • FREE Webinars
    • Estate Administration Legal Guide
    • Estate Planning Articles
      • Questions for Your Estate Planning Attorney Before Creating Your First Estate Plan
      • How to Create Your First Estate Plan in 2022
      • How to Choose a Guardian for Your Child
      • Address These Three Questions in Your First Estate Plan
    • Estate and Gift Tax Figures
    • Frequently Asked Questions
      • Adult Guardianship
      • Alzheimer’s Care
      • Custodial Accounts for Minors
      • Estate Planning
      • FAQs for Families Without an Estate Plan
      • Elder Law
      • IRA & Retirement Planning
      • Is Your Estate Plan Outdated?
      • Legacy Planning
      • LGBTQ Estate Planning
      • Medicare and Social Security
      • Probate
      • Probate Avoidance
      • Irrevocable Trusts
      • Trust Administration
      • Trusts
      • Veterans’ Benefits
      • Wills
    • Newsletters
    • Reports
      • Advanced Estate Planning
      • Basic Estate Planning
      • Estate Planning for Niches
      • Trust Administration
    • Top Estate Planning Techniques
  • Reviews
    • Our Reviews
    • Review Us
  • Medicaid Planning
    • Medicaid Planning
    • Emergency Medicaid & Nursing Home Planning
    • Medicaid Frequently Asked Questions
    • Medicaid Resources
  • Blog
  • Contact Us

Law Office of Michael Robinson, P.C.

Estate Planning Services in Rochester, New York and the Finger Lakes Area

Connect With Us Today

(585) 374-5210
Law Pay Button
Attend a Free Webinar
Home » Incapacity Planning » The Difference Between Nursing Homes and Skilled Nursing Facilities

The Difference Between Nursing Homes and Skilled Nursing Facilities

August 30, 2010Incapacity Planning

Many use the terms nursing homes and skilled nursing facilities interchangeably, but these terms actually determine how the expense is covered for senior citizens.

While most senior citizens are familiar with Medicare and its health benefits to those 65 and older, many people don’t realize that Medicaid is also an important benefit for seniors, particularly when it comes to nursing homes.

Medicaid is a joint state and Federal program that will pay most nursing home costs for some people with limited income and resources. Medicaid will pay only for nursing home care provided in a facility certified by the government to care for people with Medicaid. With the cost of nursing homes in New York averaging $109,000 annually, senior citizens often must turn to Medicaid for assistance with this expense.

Over 50% of nursing home residents pay costs out of their own savings. When these savings and other resources are exhausted, many people who stay in nursing homes for long periods eventually become eligible for Medicaid.

Many mistakenly believe that this cost would be covered by Medicare, the federal program that provides health benefits to those 65 and older. But in reality, Medicare only provides services for skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) for those who require specific skilled nursing care or rehabilitation services. Skilled care is given for a short period of time when you need skilled staff to manage, observe, and evaluate your care, for instance, when physical therapy is needed or an IV required. To be covered for skilled care by Medicare, patients normally need to have a hospital stay of at least three days just before going to a facility.

Conversely, Medicaid covers the long term care needed by seniors for those that require assistance for the activities of daily living, termed ADL, such as bathing, dressing and preparing meals, and enters the picture when other resources are spent.

Understanding the terminology involved can be complex and frustrating for families facing health care issues. Consulting a professional experienced in this area provides easy to understand, timely information regarding senior citizen issues and their challenges.

  • Author
  • Recent Posts
Michael Robinson, Estate Planning Attorney
Michael Robinson, Estate Planning Attorney
Clients notice Michael Robinson’s unique approach to his estate planning practice the minute they walk through his office doors.
Michael Robinson, Estate Planning Attorney
Latest posts by Michael Robinson, Estate Planning Attorney (see all)
  • How Estate Planning for a Family May Trap the Unwary Practitioner - August 31, 2022
  • State Income Taxation of Social Security Benefits - August 24, 2022
  • Understanding Tax Apportionment Clauses - August 17, 2022

Other Articles You May Find Useful

medicaid
Inconvenient Truths Make Incapacity Planning a Must
Law Office of Michael Robinson, P.C.
Young Adults Should Have Advance Directives
advance directives for health care
What Are Advance Directives for Health?
Rochester incapacity planning attorney
Who Decides If Someone Is Incapacitated?
incapacity planning
Consider the Importance of Incapacity Planning
conservatorship
Pros and Cons of Guardianship

Primary Sidebar

Law Office of Michael Robinson, P.C.

Blog Subscription

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Follow Us

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Linkdin
  • Youtube

TESTIMONIALS

News & Events

Seniors Rock Radio Show Recording 5-1-21

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1U7UkQbEGy-xY7XFAXvX9Qz7pKSVDVV3D/view?usp=drive_web   Author Recent Posts Michael Robinson, Estate Planning AttorneyClients notice Michael Robinson’s unique approach to his estate planning practice the minute they walk through his office doors. Latest posts by Michael Robinson, Estate Planning Attorney (see all) How Estate Planning for a Family May Trap the Unwary Practitioner -... Read more →

Pittsford Office

1163 Pittsford-Victor Road, Suite 120 (Powder Mill Office Park)
Pittsford, NY 14534-3817
Phone: (585) 374-5210
Fax: (585) 485-0394

See Larger Map Get Directions

Map

mrobinson_sidbr_map

Footer

  • Advantages of Working With Our Firm
  • About The American Academy
  • Disclaimer
  • Privacy Policy
  • Sitemap
  • Contact Us

Connect with Us

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Linkdin
  • Youtube
robinson law logo

The Law Office of Michael Robinson, P.C.

Attorney Advertisement


© 2023 American Academy of Estate Planning Attorneys, Inc.