Does Medicare cover inpatient rehab?

What does Medicare cover in an inpatient rehab facility?

Medicare Part A covers medically necessary care you get in an inpatient rehabilitation facility or unit, sometimes called an inpatient rehab facility, IRF, acute care rehabilitation center or rehabilitation hospital. Medicare Part B covers doctors' services you get while you're in the facility. Medicare-covered inpatient rehabilitation care includes:

• Rehabilitation services, including physical therapy, occupational therapy and speech-language pathology
• A semi-private room
• Meals
• Nursing services
• Prescription drugs
• Other hospital services and supplies

Who qualifies for Medicare inpatient rehab?

Your health care provider must certify that you have a medical condition requiring intensive rehabilitation, continued medical supervision and coordinated care from your providers. Medicare.gov says inpatient rehab can help if you're recovering from a serious surgery, illness or injury and need an intensive rehabilitation therapy program, physician supervision and coordinated care from your doctors and other health care providers, including therapists.

What do I pay for inpatient rehab with Medicare in 2026?

For doctors' services, Part B generally covers 80% of the Medicare-approved amount for care you get in a hospital, which Medicare.gov says includes inpatient rehabilitation facilities. For the facility care itself, what you pay under Part A for each benefit period in 2026 depends on how long you're getting care:

• Days 1 to 60: you pay $0 each day after you pay the $1,736 deductible.
• Days 61 to 90: you pay $434 each day.
• Days 91 to 150: you pay $868 each day while using your 60 lifetime reserve days, extra days Medicare pays for when you're in a hospital for more than 90 days. You have 60 reserve days in total, and each can be used once in your lifetime.
• After day 150: you pay all costs.

Do I pay another deductible if I go to rehab right after a hospital stay?

Not if Medicare already charged you a deductible for a prior hospital stay in the same benefit period. The benefit period starts on day one of that hospital stay, and the stay counts toward your deductible, so you don't pay a deductible again for the inpatient rehabilitation care. For example, you won't pay a deductible for inpatient rehab if:

• You're transferred to an inpatient rehabilitation facility directly from an acute care hospital.
• You're admitted to an inpatient rehabilitation facility within 60 days of being discharged from a hospital.

What doesn't Medicare cover during an inpatient rehab stay?

Medicare doesn't cover these items and services in an inpatient rehabilitation facility:

• Private duty nursing
• A phone or television in your room, if there's a separate charge for it
• Personal items, like toothpaste, socks or razors, unless the hospital gives them as part of your admission pack
• A private room, unless it's medically necessary

Does Medicare Advantage or Medigap change inpatient rehab costs?

Medicare Advantage plans must cover all medically necessary services that Original Medicare covers, and some offer extra benefits; rules and costs vary by plan. For inpatient hospital care, which includes inpatient rehabilitation facilities, Medicare.gov notes that a Medicare Advantage plan may charge copayments during the first 60 days, and a plan may require approval (prior authorization) before it covers certain services. See how Medicare Advantage differs from Original Medicare.

A Medigap (Medicare Supplement Insurance) policy helps pay your share of out-of-pocket costs in Original Medicare, like copayments, coinsurance and deductibles.