Nursing-home cost planner

Choosing a nursing home or skilled-nursing facility often happens right after hospital discharge. It can feel stressful, especially when you’re also trying to understand U.S. costs and insurance.

This tool is a checklist to help you estimate budget needs, compare facilities consistently, and ask the right questions on tours. You’ll also learn how Medicare and Medicaid coverage generally works, so you can plan next steps with less confusion.

Northhaven Care is a FREE matching + information service. Some participating facilities may pay a flat fee to be matched, but that never changes what you pay and never affects our guidance about Medicare or Medicaid eligibility rules, coverage basics, or costs.

In the U.S., “nursing home” and “skilled nursing” are often used together, but they can mean different levels of care. Skilled nursing is typically round-the-clock care from licensed nurses, plus therapy (when needed). Long-term nursing care usually focuses on daily help and supervision over time.

Costs and coverage depend on the level of care, how long care is expected, and how you pay. “Short-term rehab” after a hospital stay may have different payment pathways than longer-term placement.

If you’re unsure which category your relative fits, you can still use this planner. Ask facilities to explain the care level they recommend and what daily services are included, using plain language.

Nursing-home and skilled-nursing costs vary widely by state, facility, and room type (for example, private vs. semi-private). A common planning range for nursing-home or skilled-nursing care is roughly $7,000–$13,000+ per month, but it can be higher in some areas.

When a facility gives you a number, ask what it includes (room, basic nursing, meals, therapy, medication management, supplies) and what is billed separately. Request a written estimate or “fee schedule” for the services you expect.

If your relative may need therapy, medical supplies, or higher-level supervision, total costs can rise. Use a range for budgeting and treat any “guarantee” about placement or price as a red flag.

Coverage can change quickly, so it helps to separate what you’re trying to qualify for from immigration status. Eligibility for many care programs is separate from immigration status, and help is often available in the family’s language through local resources.

Medicare: Medicare may cover short-term skilled nursing in some cases (often after a qualifying hospital stay). Coverage is limited in time, and there can be cost-sharing after the early part of coverage. For details, use Medicare’s coverage information and confirm with the facility’s billing team.

Medicaid: Medicaid can cover long-term nursing home care for people who qualify based on income and assets, but rules vary by state and program type. For official eligibility rules, contact your state Medicaid office and ask how to apply for nursing-facility services.

Bring the same questions to every facility. You’re comparing apples-to-apples.

On the cost and billing side, ask:
- What is the full daily/weekly rate and what services are included?
- Are there separate charges for therapy, wound care, oxygen, IV medications, or specialized supplies?
- What are the charges for a private room vs. a shared room (if available)?
- What is your policy on rate changes and extra billing during the stay?
- If the plan is short-term rehab, what happens if care needs extend longer than expected?

On the care-quality side, ask how they monitor and report care outcomes and how staffing supports safe care. For an overview of ratings and staffing, see Quality and ratings: what to look for and How to choose a nursing home.

The U.S. Medicare CMS Five-Star rating has three parts: (1) health inspections, (2) staffing, and (3) quality measures. A high overall score does not mean every part is strong.

Staffing matters because it can affect day-to-day attention. Ask about staffing ratios (how many residents each nurse or aide supports) and how many hours nurses provide per resident per day, especially Registered Nurse (RN) hours. Facilities should be able to describe staffing coverage clearly.

For families who are comparing quickly, the most helpful approach is to review staffing and inspection history first, then compare quality measures. If you want an easy place to start, use How to choose a nursing home and verify facility details with Medicare Care Compare (now on Medicare.gov Care Compare).

If you’d like help comparing options, Northhaven Care can guide you on next-step questions and help you identify facilities to contact. If matching is offered, some facilities may pay a flat fee to be matched.

This does not change what you pay and does not affect guidance about Medicare or Medicaid. Also, Northhaven Care is not a placement agency and we do not guarantee admission or bed availability.

We only use general contact questions (for example, the care recipient’s state and the general kind of care) and a language preference. We do not collect medical history, diagnoses, medications, insurance numbers, immigration documents, or financial-account details.