§ 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 not 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; amended 2023, No. 6, § 132, eff. July 1, 2023.)