Advocacy Tip – Leaving the Nursing Home for Family Gatherings

Spring is often a time for gatherings with family and friends – weddings, graduations, Mothers’ Day. Nursing home residents often want to participate in these gatherings but may be under the impression that they will lose Medicare coverage if they leave the facility to do so. This is not true. The Medicare Benefit Policy Manual recognizes that although most beneficiaries are unable to leave their facility, an outside pass or short leave of absence for the purpose of attending a special religious service, holiday meal, family occasion, going on a car ride, or for a trial visit home, is not,…

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