The short answer
A skilled nursing facility provides licensed nursing care around the clock, which assisted living does not. Medicare covers it only short term, up to 100 days per benefit period after a qualifying hospital stay, while Medi-Cal does cover long-term skilled nursing for eligible Californians, unlike assisted living. Private pay in Los Angeles commonly runs about $10,500 to $15,000 a month, and our help comparing facilities is free to your family.
Understand skilled nursing and long-term care options
Skilled nursing facilities provide around-the-clock medical care that assisted living cannot. We help you understand when skilled nursing facility placement in Los Angeles is appropriate and what long-term care facilities offer.
As a nursing home placement agency, we translate the options into plain language so you can make a confident choice.
Compare facilities based on medical and support needs
Not every facility handles every need. We help you match your loved one's medical and personal needs to the right setting.
- Nursing home placement services focused on the right fit
- Long-term care facilities across Los Angeles compared side by side
- Options for private rooms and specialized support
- Guidance on SNF admission and what to expect
Get help with tours, admissions, and transitions
We support you through tours, admissions paperwork, and the transition itself. Our focus is facility matching and coordination, not medical advice, so you always have a clear next step.
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Questions families ask us
- What is the difference between a nursing home and assisted living?
- A nursing home, or skilled nursing facility, provides licensed nursing care around the clock for medical needs such as wound care, IV medication, feeding tubes, ventilators, or intensive rehabilitation. Assisted living provides help with daily activities like bathing, dressing, and medications, but not continuous nursing. In California the two are licensed by different agencies, and skilled nursing generally requires a physician's order.
- Does Medicare pay for a nursing home?
- Medicare pays for short-term skilled nursing, not long-term residence. After a qualifying inpatient hospital stay, Part A can cover up to 100 days in a benefit period, with the first 20 days fully covered and a daily coinsurance after that. Coverage continues only while skilled care is medically necessary. Medicare Advantage plans set their own rules and sometimes waive the prior hospital stay requirement.
- Does Medi-Cal pay for long-term skilled nursing in California?
- Yes. This is the key difference from assisted living: Medi-Cal does cover long-term care in a certified skilled nursing facility for eligible Californians, while it generally does not cover assisted living room and board. California removed the asset limit for these Medi-Cal programs in 2024, though income rules and a monthly share of cost can still apply. Confirm current rules with the county before you plan around them.
- How much does a nursing home cost in Los Angeles if we pay privately?
- Private pay skilled nursing in Los Angeles commonly runs roughly $350 to $500 a day, which works out to about $10,500 to $15,000 a month, with private rooms at the top of that band. These are typical market ranges, not our prices. Because the cost is this high, most long-stay residents in California eventually qualify for Medi-Cal coverage rather than paying out of pocket indefinitely.
- How do I compare nursing homes in Los Angeles?
- Start with the federal Medicare Care Compare ratings, which score facilities on health inspections, staffing, and quality measures. Weigh staffing most heavily, especially registered nurse hours per resident. Then check the California Department of Public Health record for citations. Finally visit unannounced in the late afternoon, look at how residents are dressed and positioned, and notice the smell and the noise level.
- How fast can a placement happen after a hospital discharge?
- Often within a day or two. Hospital discharge planners work on short notice, and skilled nursing facilities can accept a patient quickly when insurance authorization is in place and a bed is open. The pressure is real, and it is also why families end up somewhere they did not choose. We can work a short list in parallel with the hospital so you have a real option rather than the first bed offered.
- Can someone move from a nursing home back to assisted living?
- Yes, and it happens more often than families expect after successful rehabilitation. Once therapy plateaus and the medical need drops below skilled level, assisted living or a board and care home is usually a better life and a lower cost. The move requires a physician's report and an assessment by the receiving community. We can line that up while your parent is still in rehab.
- Do you charge families for nursing home placement help?
- No. Our help is free to your family. It is worth being clear that skilled nursing works differently from assisted living referral, and we often receive no fee at all on a nursing home placement. We help anyway, because a family facing a discharge deadline needs a straight answer that day, and that is the part of this work that matters most.