Skilled Nursing Facility Care

TRICARE covers skilled nursing facility care under certain conditions. There’s no day limit as long as the care is medically necessary.

Skilled nursing facilities:

• Provide a high level of medical care that includes nursing, rehabilitation, and other care.
• Aren’t nursing homes or intermediate facilities.

Covered skilled nursing services include:

• A semi-private room
• Regular nursing services
• Meals (including special diets)
• Physical, occupational, and speech therapy
• Drugs provided by the facility
• Medical supplies and appliances

You may qualify if you:

• Are treated in a hospital for at least three consecutive days, not including the day of discharge, and
• Enter the skilled nursing facility within 30 days of the hospital discharge

You must have pre-authorization.

If you have TRICARE For Life, you need pre-authorization starting on day 101.

Your costs depend on your plan, your beneficiary category, and where you get care. Check your health plan costs to find what applies to you.

TRICARE doesn’t cover skilled nursing services outside the U.S. and U.S. territories.

• Assisted living facility care
• Custodial care
• Home healthcare
• Hospice care
• Long-term care
• Nursing homes