Our Ask An Angel correspondent is Arlene Petersen, Certified Senior Advisor and Life Care Navigation Specialist in the area of senior home care.
Q. I was in the hospital recently, and I just received a bill for my stay. I learned I wasnât considered a patient, but rather I was there under âobservation.â What happened? I am stuck with a pretty hefty bill now.
A. This is a very confusing issue for many folks. While many factors and guidelines go into your hospital admission status, your doctor is an important piece of the puzzle. Confusing, right? Yes, it is. Some of this has to do with insurance companies trying to curb costs. So when you are an observation patient, they are saving money, but it also means youâll be shouldering some bills.
Here is what we learned from medicare.gov:
â Youâre an “inpatient” starting when youâre formally admitted to a hospital with a doctorâs order. The day before youâre discharged is your last inpatient day.
â Youâre an “outpatient” if youâre getting emergency department services, observation services, outpatient surgery, lab tests, X-rays, or any other hospital services, and the doctor hasnât written an order to admit you to a hospital as an inpatient. In these cases, youâre an outpatient even if you spend the night at the hospital.
Note: Observation services are hospital outpatient services given to help the doctor decide if the patient needs to be admitted as an inpatient or can be discharged. Observation services may be given in the emergency department or another area of the hospital.
I have heard the recommendation that when you are in the hospital, you should ask what your admission status is. Basically, it is important to ask questions and know what youâll be responsible for. If possible, have an advocate by your side to help you navigate some of the questions you might have. It can be a daunting process, but if you educate yourself, you will understand your options and you can make proper decisions that affect your care.
Have a question for our angel correspondent? You can send our angel an email to apetersen@visitingangels.com or send your question via mail to Ask An Angel, 65 Woodbury St., South Elgin, IL 60177.
