Will Medicare (or other health insurance) pay for long term care?

The short answer is no.  Let me explain.  Medicare and other health insurances pay only for medical care but they will not pay for ongoing long term care.  Need rehabilitation in a nursing home?  That's covered.  Need skilled nursing care for an acute condition?  That's covered too.  If, however, you need to stay long term in a care center neither Medicare nor you health insurance will cover the cost.  All medical plans will cover up to 100 days of skilled nursing care.  This does not mean you will get 100 days, it means 100 days is the maximum they will cover.  Every insurance is different and co-pays may also apply.  With Medicare only, co-pays may begin on day 21.  Medicare is the only insurance that allows the facility to determine what length of stay is necessary, as long as it is justified.  Most insurances will authorize a skilled stay  for a week or two at a time, some only a day or two at a time.  If continued progress is demonstrated most, though not all, insurances will continue to authorize additional time.  An insurer will decide to stop paying once they believe there is no additional improvement to be gained from additional time in the facility.  If you believe additional time will be beneficial you do have remedies.  You can appeal the decision, and the insurer will review the case and make a determination.  This typically happens within a day or two of your appeal as the company pays for care while the appeal is reviewed.  If an appeal is not successful you can request a "peer review".  This requires cooperation and action from your physician, who will make a case for continued care.  The request is reviewed by a panel of physicians to determine if your physician made a good case to continue care.  Neither of these remedies is guaranteed to be successful, but they can buy you an extra day or two even if they are denied.  Also remember that once an insurance company decides to discontinue skilled care they must give notice to the facility, usually 48 hours, to allow the facility to put a discharge plan in place.  Not sure what your insurance covers or if there are co-pays?  Once you provide all of the insurance information to a facility they should be able to tell you exactly what is covered and what co-pays apply.  Typically they can provide you with this information in a few business hours.  Still have questions?  Call the customer support telephone number on the back of your insurance card.