Sarasota Senior AdvisorDoes Medicare pay for assisted living in Florida?
No: Medicare does not pay rent, meals or personal care in an assisted living facility, although it still covers a resident's doctor visits, hospital care, prescriptions under Part D, and home health or hospice delivered in the facility.
That is the most common misunderstanding families bring to a first call. Assisted living is paid privately, by long-term care insurance, by VA pension benefits, or in part by Medicaid long-term care plans and OSS.
How many days of nursing home care does Medicare cover?
Medicare Part A covers up to 100 days of skilled nursing facility care per benefit period after a qualifying inpatient hospital stay of at least three days, with no daily charge for days 1 through 20 and a daily coinsurance from day 21 to day 100, as long as the patient needs and receives daily skilled care.
Observation days in the hospital do not count toward the three inpatient days, so ask the hospital about your parent's status before discharge. Coverage ends when skilled care is no longer needed, often well before day 100. Medicare Advantage plans can set their own rules and networks.
Does Medicare pay for home health care?
Yes, for a homebound patient under a doctor's plan who needs intermittent skilled nursing or therapy; Medicare-certified home health agencies provide the visits at no cost to the patient, and aide help is covered only alongside the skilled care.
AHCA's locator shows 139 licensed home health agencies with offices in Sarasota and Manatee counties (86 in Sarasota, 53 in Manatee); agencies serve clients well beyond their office address. Medicare does not pay for hourly companion or homemaker care.
Does Medicare cover hospice in Sarasota and Manatee?
Yes: Medicare's hospice benefit covers the hospice team, medications and equipment related to the terminal illness for a patient whose doctor certifies a life expectancy of six months or less, at home, in an ALF or in a nursing home, but not room and board.
AHCA's locator shows 3 licensed hospices based in the two counties: Affinity Care of Manatee County LLC (Bradenton), Affinity Care of Sarasota (Sarasota), Empath Tidewell Hospice (Sarasota). Hospices licensed elsewhere in Florida may also serve local addresses.
Where can Sarasota and Manatee seniors get free Medicare counseling?
SHINE (Serving Health Insurance Needs of Elders), Florida's State Health Insurance Assistance Program run by the Department of Elder Affairs, gives free, unbiased Medicare counseling through the Elder Helpline at 1-800-963-5337.
Counselors help compare Medicare Advantage and supplement plans during open enrollment and check eligibility for the Medicare Savings Programs, whose 2026 Florida income limits start at $1,330 a month for an individual (QMB, April 2026 standards).
At a glance
| Medicare pays for | Medicare does not pay for | |
|---|---|---|
| Nursing homes | Up to 100 skilled days after a qualifying stay | Long-term custodial care |
| At home | Intermittent skilled home health visits | Hourly aides alone |
| Assisted living | Medical care delivered to residents | Rent, meals or personal care |
Sources include Chapters 408, 429 and 651 of the Florida Statutes, Fla. Admin. Code chapters 59A-36 and 65A-2, AHCA, DCF, OIR and Elder Affairs pages, CareScout and VA rate tables as cited above; see our editorial standards.
