During this holiday season, nursing home residents may want to leave their care facilities to participate in family or religious activities. However, many are fearful that such absences will negatively impact their Medicare coverage. In a recent article, the Center for Medicare Advocacy reassured residents that while some extended absences can affect coverage, “an outside pass or short leave of absence for the purpose of attending a special religious service, holiday meal, family occasion, going on a car ride, or for a trial visit home, is not, by itself evidence that the individual no longer needs to be in a skilled nursing facility for the receipt of required skilled care.” Nevertheless, the care facility may elect to charge a “hold fee” to reserve the bed if the absence is for an extended period of time.
For more information on how absences during the holidays may affect coverage, please review the entire article by clicking on the link below.
https://www.medicareadvocacy.org/you-can-leave-the-nursing-home/