What Is Nursing Homes?
Nursing homes (also called skilled nursing facilities or SNFs) provide the highest level of residential care for seniors. They offer 24-hour licensed nursing, physician oversight, and rehabilitation services.
24-hour skilled nursing care for complex medical needs and rehabilitation.
Who Needs Nursing Homes?
Nursing home care is appropriate for individuals who require daily skilled nursing services such as IV therapy, complex wound care, ventilator support, or intensive rehabilitation following a major surgery or illness.
Common Services Included
- 24-hour licensed nursing care
- Physician oversight and visits
- Physical, occupational, and speech therapy
- Complex wound care and IV therapy
- Medication administration
- Personal care (bathing, dressing, grooming)
- Nutritional support and dietary management
- Short-term rehabilitation after hospitalization
- Hospice and palliative care coordination
- Social work and discharge planning
Nursing Homes Costs by State (2025)
Nursing Homes costs vary significantly by location. Here are the national ranges:
Find costs in your specific city by browsing the locations below. Local data is always more accurate than national averages.
How to Pay for Nursing Homes
Medicare covers up to 100 days of skilled nursing after a qualifying hospital stay. After 100 days, you pay privately or through Medicaid if you qualify. Long-term care insurance and VA benefits can bridge the gap.
Medicaid covers nursing home care for those who qualify financially and medically. This is one of Medicaid's primary long-term care benefits. Most nursing homes accept Medicaid, though private-pay residents often receive priority placement.
How to Evaluate Nursing Homes Providers
Quality indicators for Nursing Homes go beyond star ratings and first impressions. Here are the factors that matter most:
Questions to Ask
- What is your current CMS star rating and how has it changed in the past year?
- What is the average daily nurse staffing hours per resident?
- What percentage of your residents are on Medicaid vs. private pay?
- How long is the typical wait to transfer to a Medicaid bed?
- What rehabilitation services are available, and for how long after admission?
- How do you handle residents who develop pressure sores (bedsores)?
- What is your rehospitalization rate?
- How do you communicate with families when a resident's condition changes?
- Do you have a physician, NP, or PA on call 24 hours a day?
- What is your policy on residents' rights - can I see your grievance procedure?
Red Flags to Watch For
- CMS star rating of 1 or 2 stars (below average)
- State survey citations for actual harm or immediate jeopardy
- Staffing levels below the state or national median
- High rate of avoidable hospitalizations or ER visits
- Residents with pressure ulcers (bedsores) that developed in the facility
- Unresolved complaints or pending legal action visible in public records
- Staff who cannot access a resident's care plan or aren't familiar with it
- Residents who are unkempt, appear dehydrated, or show signs of neglect
- Inability to clearly explain how Medicaid conversion works and the timeline
- Restricted visiting hours without medical justification
- High antipsychotic use without documented clinical rationale
- Evasive answers about staffing ratios or recent regulatory actions