Hospital "Observation Stays" Scrutinized by Senate Aging Committee

 A Senate panel Wednesday highlighted instances in which Medicare patients got stuck with thousands of dollars in bills because their hospital stays were less than three days, the standard for Medicare to pay for subsequent care in a skilled nursing facility.

The leaders of the Senate Aging Committee sought to build support for legislation (S 569) that would count all days spent in the hospital toward the requirement. “Most people, after spending the night in a hospital would say that they have been ‘admitted’ to the hospital – that they are an inpatient of that hospital,” said Bill Nelson, D-Fla., chairman of the Aging Committee (Reichard, 7/30).

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Hospital "Observation Stays" Scrutinized by Senate Aging Committee