Medicare coverage is available for stroke victims. With a stroke comes plenty of side effects. Medicare coverage includes both inpatient and outpatient care. Medicare can cover rehab services to help you regain normalcy in life. Also, Medicare covers any Durable Medical Equipment you may need to use because of your stroke.
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What Does Medicare Pay for After a Stroke?
Medicare Part A will cover any inpatient rehab you may need after your stroke. Your doctor must deem that rehabilitation is medically necessary for treating you following the stroke. There are deductibles, coinsurances, and limits to the number of days you can spend in the hospital when Medicare is your only insurance.
Will Medicare Pay for Skilled Nursing Facility for Stroke Patients?
Medicare will cover Skilled Nursing Care that you might need following your stroke. To qualify, you’ll need to meet Skilled Nursing Facility requirements just like any other patient. Costs for SNF care are the same for stroke victims as for anyone else in need of those services.
Will Medicare Pay for Long-Term Care Facilities for Stroke Patients?
Your doctor may decide that you need long-term care following your stroke if your health takes a turn for the worse. Medicare won’t cover Long-Term Care if it’s the only kind of care you need.
Medicare won’t usually cover this service because care consists of bathing, feeding, and using the restroom. They’re not considered medical care services.
Will Medicare Cover Walkers for Stroke Patients?
As with other pieces of medical equipment, Medicare Part B will cover necessary walkers. Your walker will need a prescription from your doctor.
The most popular kinds of walkers following a stroke are 2-wheel and 4-wheel walkers, Medicare will cover a portion of the cost for either.
Does Medicare Advantage Cover Stroke Patients?
There are Medicare Advantage Chronic Condition Special Needs Plans specifically for Stroke survivors. If one of these plans is available in your area, this could be an option for you to receive additional coverage for your condition. Plan availability varies by location and carrier, so a Special Needs Plan may not be available where you live.
Before choosing to enroll in a Medicare Advantage plan, there are a few things to consider: are your doctors, hospitals, and specialists in-network? Does the policy cover your pharmacy and drugs? And, just how much will a catastrophic event cost?
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While Medicare Advantage plans can provide you with additional coverage, you may still have high out-of-pocket costs. Understanding and comparing plans is a great way to ensure you get the coverage you need while keeping your costs manageable.
Will Medicare Supplement Plans Cover Stroke Patients?
Yes, Medicare Supplement plans will always cover the same services that Original Medicare covers. Therefore, a supplement plan will cover most, or all, of your cost-sharing after Medicare pays its portion.
What Are the Costs of Stroke Rehabilitation with Medicare?
The average cost of stroke rehabilitation comes to over $17,000 within your first year. Medications can cost over $5,000, while rehab will likely cost you more than $11,000.
With high prices like these, you’ll want to be sure that you have adequate insurance coverage. Medicare Supplement plans and Medicare Advantage plans are a great alternative to high out-of-pocket expenses.
FAQs
How Stroke Patients Can Get Medicare Coverage
Medigap plans can help reduce medical costs. Let our team of licensed insurance agents find and compare supplement plans for you. Call our licensed agents for a free, no-obligation quote! Always remember: some insurance is better than no coverage. If you can’t call, fill out an online rate form to see the rates in your area.
To the medicarefaq.com admin, You always provide useful tips and best practices.
Hello medicarefaq.com owner, Your posts are always well-received by the community.
Just a heads up for anyone who may have had a spouse who had a stroke, and who lives in a rural area. Our doctor told us to immediately begin physical, speech and occupational therapy upon release from the hospital after a mini-stroke, if he wanted to return 100%. Being in a rural area, meant, we had get the OT and ST at home, because only PT was available in a facility. Even though we had 4 levels of approval for this because we live in a rural area, we are now fighting to have the ST and OT covered, simply because they happened in the afternoon after PT. It has been a nightmare. Thankfully, we do have two incredible reps with Medicare trying to help us and are praying that the threat of being sent to collections will not materialize, but have also contacted our senator. Best wishes to all of you in this same boat.
To the medicarefaq.com owner, Good work!
Hey, Holly! Thank you so much. We do our best to keep our readers informed and up-to-date with everything Medicare. We appreciate your support!
I am only 61, I had a stroke last year and I am on Disability can I still get Medicare?
I am only 61, I had a stroke last year and I am on Disability can I still get Medicare? I can’t afford the private insurance.
Hi Gary! You are eligible for Medicare once you have received Social Security Disability for 24 months.
All the expertise advice has been an eye opener. Currently, both, my husband and I are enrolled in Medicare Advantage plan. My husband is 83 and I am 74. Fortunately, so far we have enjoyed good health. However, your expert advice, insight and wisdom has been very helpful to understand the difference between Medicare Advantage plan VS Medigap. Thank you.
Shanta, I am glad to have been a source of information for you!
My father in-law at ninety had a heart attack and two strokes. He used his 100 days of skilled nursing facility and needs more speech and physical therapy. Does Medicare coverage for the nursing facility and therapy 100 day re-set at the beginning of the year.
Jamie, great question. Medicare will cover 100 days of skilled nursing per benefit period. To renew a benefit period, your current period must end. Meaning he will need to be out of the hospital or skilled nursing facility for at least 60 days to reset his coverage.
My husband suffered a brain stem stroke 8 months ago, he is conscious, but does not have many movements, he is bedridden, movements, he speaks very little, he does not have private insurance, he only has Medicare, we live in Melbourne. It must be said that we are out of Australia, we are stuck in Ecuador, we are doing everything possible to return. My question is what can Medicare cover for my husband once we get to Melbourne?
Tania, if you are living outside of the United States and elect to keep Parts A and B, Medicare will typically not cover any care received abroad. Some Medigap plans will pay for emergency coverage abroad but are not meant to be primary coverage if you are living abroad full time.
Hi I have a 46 year old patient had massive stroke recieving sis and is on medical after almost 2 year he is getting 12 visits for therapy received a motor scooter and all medical supplies for free . The reason I’m enquiring is I’m unsure of our next move as far as health care . And was thinking this would be a good move if eligible.
Hello Natalie – if he has been on SSDI for at least 24 months, he is Medicare eligible.
My husband had a serious stroke on May 26 with left-sided weakness. Sr Advantage /Medicare gave him 30 days of rehab and sent him home with outpatient Ot-PT and speech. He still needs more intensive rehab to learn to transfer for a better ability to live at home. It’s difficult to find such a facility even as we are able to pay. We’ve been advised he needs daily therapy at least 3 hours /day.
Hi Anne. First, I’m sorry to hear your husband had a stroke. Are you looking to get him more intensive rehab at an inpatient or outpatient facility?
Yes. Our therapists say he needs equipment like a standing frame to help him learn to stand so he can be taught to transfer from bed to chair with one person. Otherwise he remains a total dead weight.
Thank you
Anne, it sounds like you’re looking for information on Durable Medical Equipment. Part B will cover DME 80%. However, since your husband enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan, it’s up to the carrier how much they will cover. You’ll have to reach out to them directly to find out what your out-of-pocket costs will be.
Hi Lindsay,
My husband had a major stroke in June and is in a skilled nursing facility however, his insurance has recently denied him for continued care and now I’m being billed $578/ day. What are my recourse to have his insurance pay for his services.
Hi Justine! Do you know what parts of Medicare he is enrolled in? Original Medicare only covers the first 20 days at a skilled nursing facility. After day 21, you’ll pay coinsurance for each day. After day 100, you pay 100% for each day. I would reach out to your local Medicaid office to see was resources are available in your state.
My Aunt had a stroke and has transferred to skilled nursing rehab. She has been there three days with no therapy. Is there a guideline on therapy? How many hours or days per week? In Acute rehab she had it 6 days a week and at least 3 hours per day.
Hi Kathy! This is out of our expertise. You would want to contact her PCP or the doctor at the facility directly to get this resolved.
My Mother had a stroke at age 72 she has Humana Medicare advantage plan. The case worker is telling us that she only receives 7 days of rehabilitation and we can request an additional 7 days after that, but then we’re on our own. When my day had his stroke he had 90 days of rehab. Can Humana limit the care they provide. The doctors say she may need 2 months of rehab for recovery.
Hi Walter! First, I’m sorry your mother has suffered a stroke. Your father had more than likely qualified for Skilled Nursing Care. If your mother qualifies, she would be transferred to a Skilled Nursing Facility. Medicare Advantage plans work differently than Medicare, but she should still qualify. She would receive 100% coverage the first 20 days, then for days 21-100, she would have a copay. After 100 days, she would have to pay out of pocket 100%. I would reach out to Humana and ask them about Skilled Nursing Care after a stroke.
Hi Lindsay,
I was hoping you would be able to shed light to something that was surprising related to patient care, post acute stay for a stroke. A Health System VP of Care Management suggested if there is an opportunity to send a patient home, the patient should go home to continue to recovery with the appropriate services.
Are there new guidelines and incentives from CMS, to discharge patients to home if care plan protocols permit, rather going to a more costly SNF, rehab?
Thanks
Al
Hi Al! Medicare will cover at-home care on a short-term basis. Medicare will not cover any personal services at homes such as bathing and eating. CMS did announce a new program called Hospitals Without Walls that gives more flexibility to have acute hospital care at home.
Hi Kevin. I’m so sorry to hear about your mother. Yes, Medicare will cover at-home caregiving on a short term basis. The doctor must order rehab therapy visits for treatment and care must be from a certified Home Health Agency through Medicare. I hope this helps!
My husband just had a stroke and has no income. Who can I talk to? How can I find out about if he is eligible? And how do I go about applying for medicare coverage?
Hi Nanette. I’m so sorry to hear about your husband. He is eligible for Medicare as long as he’s at least 65 years old or after 24 months of collecting disability benefits. You can apply for Medicare online, over the phone, or in person. Part A is premium-free as long as your husband paid into enough quarters when working, which is usually the case. Part B comes with a monthly premium. I would reach out to your state’s Medicaid office to see how they can help due to him having no income. Medicaid will help pay Medicare premiums for those considered low-income.
What are the costs for hospitalization for stroke patients? Do hospitals admit patients who enter the hospital through the ER? Does Medicare cover costs for patients admitted by the hospital for “observation” even though they have been diagnosed with a minor stroke?
Hi Mike! There is no set amount a hospital will charge for stroke patients. It depends on the treatment the doctor at the time feels is necessary. Yes, hospitals will admit patients that were admitted into the ER. Yes, Medicare will cover the costs regardless if you’re admitted as an inpatient, outpatient, or under observation after being diagnosed with a minor stroke.