Last week, bipartisan, bicameral legislation was introduced to ensure all Medicare beneficiaries who spend three days or more in a hospital can access post-acute care in a Skilled Nursing Facility (SNF) when they need it. Currently, Medicare can deny SNF coverage following a hospital stay classified as outpatient observation rather than inpatient. The Improving Access to Medicare Coverage Act of 2019 (H.R. 1682/ S.753) would protect beneficiaries from surprise bills for skilled nursing care by counting time they spend in observation status toward Medicare’s three-day stay requirement. Are you hospital inpatient or outpatient?
