Medicare Part A vs Part B in Skilled Nursing Facilities
Last updated May 2026
Part A in an SNF
Part A covers the SNF benefit period, up to 100 days following a qualifying hospital stay, and reimburses through the Patient Driven Payment Model (PDPM). During Part A days, almost all supplies are bundled under consolidated billing.
Part B in an SNF
Part B covers medically necessary supplies and services for residents who are NOT in a Part A stay. This is where SNF supply reimbursement opens up, catheters, ostomy supplies, enteral nutrition, surgical dressings, and more, billed individually under HCPCS codes.
Where SNFs lose revenue
The most common gap: a resident transitions off Part A and continues to receive Part B-eligible supplies, but no one re-evaluates their billing status. Months of billable supply utilization go uncaptured.
Talk to Burst about your SNF's supply reimbursement process
Schedule a reimbursement review with our team, no obligation, no upfront cost.
Frequently asked questions
- Not for the same item at the same time. During a covered Part A stay, supplies are bundled into the SNF PPS payment. Part B supply billing applies to residents who are not in a covered Part A stay.
- Billing responsibility shifts. From that date forward, eligible supplies may be billable under Part B, which is why benefit-period tracking matters as much as the clinical record.
- The facility, as the billing provider. That is why we verify benefit status per encounter before a claim is prepared, rather than billing from a supply list.
Related insights
How to Prepare for a Medicare Billing Audit in a Skilled Nursing Facility
Learn how SNFs prepare for a Medicare billing audit with a one-claim diagnostic test, a documentation gap review, and a repeatable 30-day readiness cycle.
Read articleCommon Medicare Part B Documentation Gaps in Skilled Nursing
Learn common Medicare Part B documentation gaps in SNFs, including resident status, signed orders, proof of delivery, vendor records, and claim review.
Read articleSNF Billing Compliance Checklist for 2026
Use this SNF billing compliance checklist for 2026 to review resident status, documentation, coding, vendor records, denials, and Part B billing risk.
Read articleReviewed by Eric Hansen, Chief Executive Officer & Founder · August 2026. Benefit-period and consolidated-billing explanations were checked against the Medicare Claims Processing Manual.
Turn Missed Opportunities Into Real Profit.
Request a Part B reimbursement review for your skilled nursing facility. No added work for your staff. No upfront cost. No obligation.
"*" indicates required fields
Risk-free. If you don't get paid, neither do we.