Medicare Proposes Outpatient Appeals Process After Court Ruling

December 21, 2023, 6:07 PM UTC

Medicare patients changed to outpatient “observation status” after they were initially hospitalized would have a chance to appeal this reclassification under a process proposed by the Biden administration Thursday.

The proposed rule (RIN: 0938-AV16) intends to implement a 2020 ruling by the US District Court for the District of Connecticut in a class action. The case involved a dispute over Medicare’s obligation to pay for hospitalizations and long-term care for elderly patients.

Medicare Part A pays for hospitalizations for admitted patients, but not for beneficiaries classified as outpatients receiving observation services. Doctors make the initial decision on whether ...

Learn more about Bloomberg Law or Log In to keep reading:

See Breaking News in Context

Bloomberg Law provides trusted coverage of current events enhanced with legal analysis.

Already a subscriber?

Log in to keep reading or access research tools and resources.