A medicare rule to be aware of.
Jan 22nd 2014, 5:39 pm
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A medicare rule to be aware of.
I've seen first hand what this means to patients, and their sub acute care/nursing home stay. As consumers, we need to educate ourselves and learn what questions to ask.
FAQ: Hospital Observation Care Can Be Poorly Understood And Costly For Medicare Beneficiaries
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By Susan Jaffe
Sep 04, 2013
Some seniors think Medicare made a mistake. Others are just stunned when they find out that being in a hospital for days doesn't always mean they were actually admitted.
Instead, they received observation care, considered by Medicare to be an outpatient service. Yet, a recent government investigation found that observation patients often have the same health problems as those who are admitted. But the observation designation means they can have higher out-of-pocket expenses and fewer Medicare benefits.
More Medicare beneficiaries are entering hospitals as observation patients every year. The number rose 69 percent in five years, to 1.6 million nationally in 2011, according to the most recent federal statistics. At the same time, Medicare hospital admissions have declined slightly.
Here are some common questions and answers about observation care and the coverage gap that can result. (Seniors enrolled in Medicare Advantage should ask their plans about their observation care rules since they can vary.)
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FAQ: Hospital Observation Care Can Be Poorly Understood And Costly For Medicare Beneficiaries
Share
By Susan Jaffe
Sep 04, 2013
Some seniors think Medicare made a mistake. Others are just stunned when they find out that being in a hospital for days doesn't always mean they were actually admitted.
Instead, they received observation care, considered by Medicare to be an outpatient service. Yet, a recent government investigation found that observation patients often have the same health problems as those who are admitted. But the observation designation means they can have higher out-of-pocket expenses and fewer Medicare benefits.
More Medicare beneficiaries are entering hospitals as observation patients every year. The number rose 69 percent in five years, to 1.6 million nationally in 2011, according to the most recent federal statistics. At the same time, Medicare hospital admissions have declined slightly.
Here are some common questions and answers about observation care and the coverage gap that can result. (Seniors enrolled in Medicare Advantage should ask their plans about their observation care rules since they can vary.)
<snip>
Last edited by Bob; Jan 22nd 2014 at 9:22 pm. Reason: Got a link? Potential copyright issues on posting the whole article.
