Observation Stays
House unanimously passes 'observation status' bill
March 17, 2015Long-term care leaders firmly applauded members of the U.S. House on Tuesday for unanimously passing a bill that would put tighter control over the designation of "observation status" for hospital patients.
Also in the news for May 28, 2014 . . .
May 28, 2014MRSA drug gains approval through govt's rapid process ... Kindred blasts Gentiva over 'poison pill' ... Improved vision increases seniors' fall risk? ... Observation stays for falls increase in WA
'2-midnight rule' is increasing observation stays, not decreasing them as hoped, Johns Hopkins director tells Congressional panel
May 23, 2014A Medicare policy change meant to reduce the number of hospital observation stays actually is having the opposite effect, a senior Johns Hopkins Medical System executive told a Congressional panel this week.
Dramatic drop in hospital inpatient readmissions cannot be explained by a shift to observation stays, researchers find
April 25, 2014Hospitals achieved a notable reduction in their inpatient readmissions rate in 2012 and were not using observation stays to game the system, according to Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services researchers. That means it is possible increases in the quality of care and care coordination are working in reducing readmissions.
Observation stay bills in focus for LTC providers
March 19, 2014Nonprofit long-term care providers continued to focus on bills related to observation stays during visits on Capitol Hill Tuesday.
PEAK members brave D.C. storm to push long-term care agenda
March 18, 2014Nonprofit long-term care providers visiting Washington this week are encouraging members of Congress — some of them destined for tough re-election campaigns — to pursue key strategic goals.
Senate bill would revamp 2-midnight rule for hospital inpatient admissions
March 07, 2014Providers' complaints about the so-called "two-midnight rule" for determining hospital inpatient status have led to a new bipartisan bill in the U.S. Senate, which would create less rigid guidelines.
Two-midnight rule sends hospital inpatient admissions crashing to record lows, analysis finds
December 19, 2013A newly implemented admissions policy has driven hospital inpatient stays to record low levels, according to an analysis from researchers associated with Citigroup.
Docs, hospitals protest two-midnight rule
December 01, 2013A new policy meant to reduce the number of hospital observation stays should be delayed, and stakeholders should collaborate on a better way to achieve that goal, according to the American Medical Association and American Hospital Association.
Hospital observation stays increased more than 100%, AARP study finds
November 15, 2013The frequency of hospital observation stays skyrocketed and long stays became much more common between 2001 and 2009, according to a new report from the AARP Public Policy Institute.
Physician and hospital groups call for delay of 'two-midnight rule'
November 12, 2013A policy meant to reduce the number of hospital observation stays is not workable, and stakeholders should collaborate on more comprehensive solutions to the observation stay situation, according to the American Medical Association and American Hospital Association.
House lawmakers call on CMS to delay rule limiting observation stays
September 26, 2013More than 100 members of the House of Representatives have called on the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to delay implementation of a new rule intended to limit the number of hospital patients under "observation" status.
