Medicare officials announced Thursday that they will delay enforcement of controversial new rules that define when hospital patients should receive observation care, rather than being admitted, a distinction that makes beneficiaries ineligible for follow-up nursing home coverage.
Medicare officials announced Thursday that they will delay enforcement of controversial new rules that define when hospital patients should receive observation care, rather than being admitted, a distinction that makes beneficiaries ineligible for follow-up nursing home coverage.
The new rules take effect Tuesday, but officials said they will not be enforced until at least Jan. 1. During that time, Medicare auditors will review a small sample of hospital admission records to insure that hospitals are working to properly implement the new standards but will not penalize mistakes.
The rules require hospitals to admit a patient who is expected to stay through at least two midnights. Those whose stays are expected to be shorter will be classified as observation patients, who generally pay higher out-of-pocket costs than inpatients. Also, because Medicare requires a three-day inpatient hospital stay before it covers nursing home expenses, observation patients do not receive this this benefit.
Read the full story here: http://wapo.st/1bMNkV0
Source: The Washington Post
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