Some seniors are reporting that when they visit a hospital for days, they aren’t actually being admitted.
Instead, they receive “observation care” which is considered by Medicare as an outpatient service, foring them to pay higher out-of-pocket expenses and receive fewer Medicare benefits.
The problem is, more Medicare beneficiaries are entering hospitals as observation patients every year — a jump of 69% in five years. Meanwhile, Medicare hospital admissions are dropping.
For an FAQ about observation care and the coverage gap that can result, please click here.
