Mom broke her hip. Will Medicare pay for rehab?
After a broken hip, rehab often happens in a rehab hospital or in a nursing home. What Medicare pays depends on where she goes, how she was admitted, and her plan.
You don't have to decide alone. The hospital team suggests where rehab should happen. Ask them why, and ask about every option.
Where can rehab happen after the hospital?
A rehab hospital gives a lot of therapy each day. Doctors and nurses are close by. Medicare covers it when a doctor says your mom needs this much rehab, close care from doctors, and a team that works together.
A nursing home can also give rehab. Medicare calls this a skilled nursing stay. It is for people who need skilled care every day, such as therapy, but not as much as a rehab hospital gives.
Some people go home and get therapy from a home health agency instead. A doctor has to order it.
What does Medicare pay in a rehab hospital?
Part A pays for a rehab hospital stay. In 2026, your mom pays the $1,736 Part A deductible for the benefit period. Then she pays nothing for days 1 to 60. The table below shows longer stays.
Say she already paid the Part A deductible for a hospital stay as an inpatient. Then she does not pay it again if she goes straight to the rehab hospital, or gets there within 60 days of leaving the hospital. Time under observation is not an inpatient stay.
What does Medicare pay for rehab in a nursing home?
Original Medicare pays only when three things are true. Your mom was admitted to the hospital for at least 3 days in a row. She enters the nursing home soon after, usually within 30 days. And her doctor says she needs skilled care every day.
Time spent under observation or in the emergency room before she was admitted does not count toward the 3 days.
In 2026, days 1 to 20 cost nothing more after the Part A deductible. Days 21 to 100 cost $217 a day. After day 100, she pays all costs.
Some doctors are part of a Medicare group, called an Accountable Care Organization (ACO), that may skip the 3-day rule. Ask her doctor. Medicare Advantage plans may skip it too, and they set their own costs and networks. Call the plan before she moves.
Ask on day one: admitted or under observation?
Ask the hospital each day if your mom is admitted or kept under observation. The answer decides if nursing home rehab is covered. Read does observation count toward Medicare's 3-day rule?
If rehab is ending too soon
Before covered rehab ends, your mom gets a written notice. If you think it is too soon, ask for a fast appeal by noon the day before the end date on the notice. Read how to appeal a Medicare decision.
Find a rehab hospital or nursing home near her
Compare rehab hospitals near you and nursing homes near you. Nursing home pages show Medicare's ratings, inspection results, fines and staffing. Ask each place if it has a bed and takes your mom's coverage.
| Stay | 2026 |
|---|---|
| Part A deductible | $1,736 |
| Rehab hospital, days 1 to 60 | Nothing more |
| Rehab hospital, days 61 to 90 | $434 a day |
| Rehab hospital, lifetime reserve days | $868 a day |
| Nursing home rehab, days 1 to 20 | Nothing more |
| Nursing home rehab, days 21 to 100 | $217 a day |
| Nursing home rehab, after day 100 | All costs |
Source: cms.gov: 2026 Medicare Parts A & B Premiums and Deductibles (fact sheet), checked 2026-10-26. The 2027 amounts are announced in November. Medicare Advantage plans set their own costs.
Checklist
- Ask every day: is Mom admitted as an inpatient or under observation?
- Ask the hospital team where they suggest rehab, and why.
- Ask if a rehab hospital is an option, not only a nursing home.
- If she has a Medicare Advantage plan, call the plan before she moves.
- Check the rehab place's Medicare ratings and inspections.
- Keep every notice about coverage ending.
Common questions
Does Medicare pay for rehab after a broken hip?
Often, yes. Part A can pay for a rehab hospital or for rehab in a nursing home when Medicare's rules are met. What your mom pays depends on where she goes and how long she stays.
How many days of nursing home rehab does Medicare cover?
Up to 100 days in a benefit period, when she meets the rules. Days 21 to 100 have a daily cost. After day 100, she pays all costs.
Does a rehab hospital need a 3-day hospital stay first?
Medicare.gov does not list a 3-day stay for a rehab hospital. A doctor must say she needs a lot of rehab, close care from doctors, and a team that works together.
What if she has a Medicare Advantage plan?
The plan may skip the 3-day rule and may use a network. It sets its own costs. Call the plan before she moves.
Do you know what to do next?
We do not offer every plan available in your area. Any information we provide is limited to those plans we do offer in your area. Please contact Medicare.gov, 1-800-MEDICARE, or your local State Health Insurance Program (SHIP) to get information on all of your options.
Sources
- Written by
- The PlanScout team. Updated Oct 26, 2026.
- Corrections
- See something wrong? Tell us. We fix confirmed errors within 2 business days and note the change in the page's change log.
Sources (4)
- Medicare.gov — Skilled nursing facility care (retrieved Oct 26, 2026)
- Medicare.gov — Inpatient rehabilitation care (retrieved Oct 26, 2026)
- cms.gov — 2026 Medicare Parts A & B Premiums and Deductibles (fact sheet) (retrieved Oct 26, 2026)
- Medicare.gov — Fast appeals (retrieved Oct 26, 2026)
This guide is general information, not medical, legal, or financial advice. Confirm details with the provider, your plan, or a licensed professional.