The federal government program to provide health insurance for people generally age 65 and over. This is a health insurance program which generally pays a very limited amount of benefits for Long-Term Care. Medicare will only pay for SKILLED CARE. Medicare pays 20 days for skilled services while a “Medicare Supplement” will pay for days 21 to 100 if the individual still requires skilled services. Other rules apply.

Medicare will pay for limited amounts of home health care if you are receiving skilled or rehabilitative care, but not for "maintenance" care or help with activities of daily living. Neither Medicare nor Medigap pays for this custodial care, which is the most common and costly form of Long-Term Care.