§ 1911a. Notice of hospital observation status
(a)(1) Each hospital shall provide oral and written notice to each Medicare beneficiary that the hospital places in observation status as soon as possible but no later than 24 hours following such placement, unless the individual is discharged or leaves the hospital before the 24-hour period expires. The written notice shall be a uniform form developed by the Department of Health, in consultation with interested stakeholders, for use in all hospitals.
(2) If a patient is admitted to the hospital as an inpatient before the notice of observation has been provided, and under Medicare rules the observation services may be billed as part of the inpatient stay, the hospital shall not be required to provide notice of observation status.
(b) Each oral and written notice shall include:
(1) a statement that the individual is under observation as an outpatient and is not admitted to the hospital as an inpatient;
(2) a statement that observation status may affect the individual's Medicare coverage for hospital services, including medications and pharmaceutical supplies, and for rehabilitative or skilled nursing services at a skilled nursing facility if needed upon discharge from the hospital; and
(3) a statement that the individual may contact the Office of the Health Care Advocate or the Vermont State Health Insurance Assistance Program to understand better the implications of placement in observation status.
(c) Each written notice shall include the name and title of the hospital representative who gave oral notice; the date and time oral and written notice were provided; the means by which written notice was provided, if not provided in person; and contact information for the Office of the Health Care Advocate and the Vermont State Health Insurance Assistance Program.
(d) Oral and written notice shall be provided in a manner that is understandable by the individual placed in observation status or by his or her representative or legal guardian.
(e) The hospital representative who provided the written notice shall request a signature and date from the individual or, if applicable, his or her representative or legal guardian, to verify receipt of the notice. If a signature and date were not obtained, the hospital representative shall document the reason. (Added 2015, No. 54, § 5, eff. Dec. 1, 2015.)