Will Medicare pay for long term care? Unfortunately, no. Medicare is a U.S. federal government mandated the national social insurance program that provides health assistance to individuals age 65 and above. In order to qualify, the elderly must first be certified by a doctor. Medicare will then shoulder fees solely for medical-related tasks (such as the application of sterile dressing).

Activities of daily living (ADLs) aren’t covered by Medicare. However, Medicare can still provide minimal assistance for individuals in need of LTC by helping cover for short nursing home stays (which must first be preceded by a three-day hospital stay) and for limited coverage for skilled medical care.