MDS Alert

Can your SNF bill Medicare Part A for the day of discharge or the day a resident expires?

To Bill Or Not To Bill The Day Of Discharge

Generally, you don't count the day of discharge, death or a day on which a patient begins a leave of absence as a utilization day, says the Medicare Claims Processing Manual. But there's an exception to this general rule against charging a utilization day for the day of discharge, death, or the day beginning a leave of absence, the manual states. And that occurs when the patient is admitted with the expectation that he will remain overnight but is discharged, dies or is transferred to a nonparticipating provider or a nonparticipating distinct part of the same provider before midnight of the same day. In these instances, count the day as a utilization day and bill for it. Source: Medicare Claims Processing Manual, chapter 6 (SNF Inpatient Part A Billing) at 40.3.5 -- Determine Utilization on Day of Discharge, Death, or Day Beginning a Leave of Absence (www.cms.hhs.gov/manuals/104_claims/clm104index.asp).