Observation services are short-term  outpatient  services you received when you are in the hospital. You usually have this for monitoring purposes and/or to determine whether you should be admitted as an  inpatient .  It is important to know that if you are receiving observation services, you haven't been formally admitted to the hospital as an inpatient, even if you are given a room or to stay overnight.  You can always ask the hospital staff about your status. Also, the hospital must provide you with a notice if you receive observation services for more than 24 hours. This is called the  Medicare  Outpatient Observation Notice (MOON) . This notifies you that you are receiving observation services. This explains why you are an outpatient and your doctor should explain this notice to you in person. Since this kind of service often involves an overnight stay in the hospital, they may look no different than inpatient services. However, it is very impor...

All  Medicare Advantage Plans   must provide at least the same level of  home health care  coverage as   Original  Medicare , but they may impose  different rules, restrictions, and costs.   Depending on your plan, you may need to: Get care from a  home health agency  (HHA) that contracts with your plan Request  prior authorization  or a  referral  before receiving home health care Pay a  copayment  for your care (Original Medicare fully covers home health) For your information, HHAs can choose who to accept as a patient or refuse to provide you with home health services if they do not believe they can ensure your safety. If no HHA in your plan’s  network  will take you as a patient, call your plan.   Your plan must provide you with home health care if your doctor says it is  medically necessary . If no  in-network  HHA will provide you with care, but an  out-of-...

A patient who undergoes kidney transplant usually needs to take immunosuppressant drugs for the rest of their life to prevent their bodies from rejecting the donor organ. Medicare covers these drugs differently depending on their circumstances. Below are the types of Medicare coverage; Time-limited Part B coverage                              If you receive a kidney transplant in a Medicare-approved facility , Medicare Part B will cover your immunosuppressant drugs for 36 months after your hospital departure if:     You had Part A at the time of your transplant    You have Medicare Part B when getting your prescription filled    Y ou are only eligible for ESRD Medicare i f your kidney transplant was successful , your       Medicare  coverage will end   36 months after the month of yo...