Monthly Archives: August 2013

Ruminations on Observation: OIG Report Highlights Inpatient vs. Observation Status

Posted by Judy Mayer on August 22, 2013
Medicaid / No Comments

On July 29, 2013, the OIG released a memorandum report finding that Medicare paid more on average for short inpatient stays than for observation stays in 2012.  The report, Hospitals’ Use of Observation Stays and Short Inpatient Stays for Medicare Beneficiaries, OEI-02-12-00040, touches on observation versus inpatient status, which has been and continues to be a hot button issue.

Background

Medicare beneficiaries receiving care at a hospital are classified as either inpatients or observation patients.  Observation patients are outpatients who receive treatments and assessments to determine whether they require further treatment as inpatients or can be discharged.  CMS policy provides that observation services are usually needed for 24 hours or less.   Continue reading…

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