Definition of Skilled Nursing Facility vs. Nursing Home

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A Skilled Nursing Facility: What Is It?

A skilled nursing facility is an inpatient medical treatment and rehabilitation facility manned by medical professionals with the necessary training. These professionals offer the medically required services of audiologists, licensed nurses, PTs, OTs, and SLPs.

Patients at skilled nursing facilities get round-the-clock help with daily living activities (ADLs) and medical needs. What may and cannot be done by skilled nursing institutions is governed by a number of federal rules.

Nursing homes versus skilled nursing facilities

A skilled nursing facility usually serves as a transitional home for individuals receiving medically required rehabilitation therapy. Conversely, a nursing home is often a long-term facility for those requiring custodial care. All the time.

The Operation of a Skilled Nursing Facility

Every patient who enters a skilled nursing facility is given an initial health examination, as well as continuing evaluations to examine their medicines, overall and mental health, and capacity to do daily living tasks like dressing and taking a shower.

It is illegal for nursing homes and skilled nursing institutions to discriminate against their inhabitants on the basis of age, sex, race, color, ethnicity, religion, or any other protected trait. Authorities, including state nursing home regulating agencies and municipal long-term care ombudsmen, can be notified about skilled nursing institutions that break the law.3.

For instance, a woman might report the event to the California Department of Public Health if she believes her mother was turned away from a certain California nursing facility due to her race. She may bring up the issue with the institution and attempt to get her mother accepted if her mother has no other choices for care. She could also think about selecting a different facility if there are other equally good possibilities.

Particular Takeaways: Funding a Skilled Nursing Facility

Medicare-eligible patients in need of post-hospital care may stay in a skilled nursing facility for up to 100 days as long as they fulfill Medicare’s criteria and the facility is accredited by Medicare. Medicare will either cover the whole cost of the patient’s stay or the patient will have to pay some or all of the bill, depending on certain evaluations that the facility and Medicare utilize. Patients bear full responsibility for all expenditures beyond the first 100 days, with the possibility of partial or complete coverage from Medicaid or private insurance for qualified individuals.

The daily coinsurance for beneficiaries in skilled nursing facilities is $176 in 2020 for days 21 through 100 of extended care services during a benefit period.

Unlike certain assisted living communities, skilled nursing institutions are not allowed to impose a buy-in fee. Instead, they must provide written information about their services and prices to the patient or their caregiver in advance.3.

Long-term stays in skilled care facilities can get very costly. For example, a Genworth analysis on long-term care in 2019 found that the average annual cost of a private room in a skilled nursing facility or nursing home was $102,200.5.