Outdated Medicare rule delays nursing care and wastes hospital resources, study finds

Outdated Medicare rule delays nursing care and wastes hospital resources, study finds

A long-standing Medicare policy meant to manage rehabilitation services in nursing homes may keep older Americans in hospitals longer than necessary without improving patient health or saving Medicare money, new research finds. Established in 1965, the rule was intended to manage the use of skilled nursing facilities, which provide short-term medical and rehabilitative care to Medicare beneficiaries. Known as the "three-day rule," it requires pa…

Medicare’s 3-Day Rule Reinstatement Lengthened Hospital Stays Without Cost, Outcome Benefits

The postpandemic reinstatement of Medicare’s 3-day rule lengthened hospital stays without affecting SNF use, spending, or short-term outcomes, raising questions about its value.

Research Reveals Outdated Medicare Policy Hampers Timely Nursing Care and

For decades, Medicare’s “three-day rule” has dictated crucial thresholds in the rehabilitation trajectory for older Americans after hospitalization. Instituted in 1965 to manage the use of skilled nursing facilities (SNFs), this rule mandates that patients must spend at least three consecutive days in a hospital inpatient setting before Medicare will approve coverage for subsequent skilled nursing care. Originally conceived at a time when hospit…