Over a year ago (June 22, 2012), the New York Times covered the topic of how someone with Medicare can be a patient in the hospital but not be an “admitted patient.”
They’ve picked up the topic again this week probably because on October 1st a new Medicare policy took effect. The new policy is:
“When a physician expects a patient’s stay to include at least two midnights, that person is an inpatient whose care is covered under Medicare Part A, which pays for hospitals. If it doesn’t last two midnights, Medicare expects the person to be an outpatient, and Part B, which pays for doctors, takes over.” Apparently there is unanimity in disliking this new policy, which Johns Hopkins calls the “Cinderella Rule.”
The 2012 article refers to this Medicare publication –
“Are You a Hospital Inpatient or Outpatient? If You Have Medicare – Ask!”
Here’s a link to this week’s article: (Note that some of the comments are worth checking out)
The New Old Age: Caring and Coping
Two Kinds of Hospital Patients: Admitted, and Not
New York Times
By Paula Span
October 29, 2013, 12:01 pm
Robin