Nursing Homes and Skilled Nursing Facilities (SNFs) are designed as long-term homes and locations for patients that need assistance with daily living and long-term rehabilitation. Their beds are primarily occupied by the elderly and patients with chronic illnesses or disabilities. Medicare covers up to 100 days of SNF or nursing home stays. Medicaid can provide coverage for longer stays and for those in need of additional services.
CMS conducts frequent surveys and inspections on nursing homes. They cover a wide array of topics, including health inspections, fire safety, and patient experiences such as unexpected falls, infections, bed sores, and other patient-specific concerns. Each home is also given a star rating (out of 5) based on inspections, staffing, and a large set of quality measures. An overall rating for each facility is also provided, based on these other ratings.
CMS offers a substantial collection of informational packets through print or PDFs online that cover many, if not all, of the questions a prospective patient may have, including costs and coverage, services provided, continuing care, rights and responsibilities, and assistance in locating the right provider for the patient's needs.