A federal court ruled on March 24, 2020 that beneficiary can appeal classification under observation status and request Medicare to pay for subsequently denied SNF care going back to 2009. The judge’s ruling applies to you if you were treated for at least three days, and a portion of that was classified as an observation stay – although you can appeal regardless of stay length if you only had Part A or if more than 30 days passed between the hospital visit and admission to a SNF.
Medicare beneficiary advocates applauded the ruling – which for the first time afforded a specific appeal right to Medicare beneficiaries classified under observation.