Medicare covers hospice at a skilled nursing facility (SNF) only if the SNF has a contract with a Medicare-certified hospice that can provide your care. The hospice benefit will not pay for room and board at the SNF, so you will be responsible for that cost.

If you have skilled care needs unrelated to your terminal illness, and you meet Medicare’s coverage requirements for a SNF stay, Medicare should cover room and board and that skilled care. For example, if you have elected hospice because you have terminal cancer and you fall and break your hip unrelated to the cancer and meet other requirements, Medicare would cover your stay in a SNF for the daily physical therapy you need for the broken hip.