Under the Patient-Driven Payment Model (PDPM), there is a potential incentive for providers to discharge skilled nursing facility (SNF) patients from a covered Part A stay then readmit the patient in order to reset the variable per diem schedule. To mitigate this potential incentive, an interrupted stay policy is included within the PDPM.
This policy combines multiple SNF stays into one single episode in situations where the patient’s discharge and readmission occur within a prescribed window. If a patient is discharged from a SNF and readmitted to the same SNF no more than three consecutive calendar days after discharge, then the subsequent stay is considered a continuation of the previous stay. In this instance, the variable per diem schedule continues from the point just prior to discharge.
If the patient is discharged from a SNF and then readmitted more than three consecutive calendar days after discharge or admitted to a different SNF, then the subsequent stay is considered a new stay. In this instance, the variable per diem schedule resets to day one.
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