Most people think that Medicare will pay the entire bill at the nursing home or will at least pay the entire bill for the first 90 or 100 days. This is NOT true. Medicare will pay the entire bill at the nursing home for the first 20 days. For the next 80 days, Medicare will pay the entire bill except for $128.00 per day, (increased each year for inflation). You are responsible for the $128.00 per day. This is called the “Medicare co-pay.”