Update from the Center for Medicare Advocacy, Inc.

On August 2, 2013 the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) made a decision on Observation Services.  The decision was not to make a decision related to Medicare beneficiaries!  After pages and pages of regulatory discussion and evaluation, it appears that CMS did not make a conclusive decision on whether the time spent in observation status will be counted toward the three day hospital stay to qualify for Skilled Nursing Facility (SNF) care.

Be an advocate for all Medicare beneficiaries by calling your local representatives and bringing the unfair practice of cost shifting through observation status to their attention!  Help end observation status now!  Go to www.medicareadvocacy.org  and read Observation Status: OIG Provides an Analysis and CMS Issues Final Regulations and Now is the Time to End "Observation Status."