Elder Law: “Medicare May Enforce New and Controversial ‘Observation Rule’ as early as January 1, 2014”

Medicare is thinking of applying a new set of rules to hospital stays for Medicare patients. The rules create a new category of “admittance” to a hospital called observation that allows Medicare to deny coverage for subsequent nursing home stays.  Medicare is getting some push-back, and the plan to apply these rules has been delayed. If you or your loved ones are on Medicare and anticipate a hospital visit, keep track of when and if the new Observation Rule will affect coverage.  Below is a link to an article that helps explain the Rule and the controversy over it.

http://www.medpagetoday.com/PublicHealthPolicy/Medicare/42001

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