§ 409.63 Reduction of inpatient psychiatric benefit days available in the initial benefit period.

(a) Reduction rule. (1) If the individual was an inpatient in a psychiatric hospital on the first day of Medicare entitlement and for any of the 150 days immediately before that first day of entitlement, those days are subtracted from the 150 days (90 regular days plus 60 lifetime reserve days) which would otherwise be available in the initial benefit period for inpatient psychiatric services in a psychiatric or general hospital.

(2) Reduction is required only if the hospital was participating in Medicare as a psychiatric hospital on the individual's first day of entitlement.

(3) The reduction applies only to the beneficiary's first benefit period. For subsequent benefit periods, the 90 benefit days, plus any remaining lifetime reserve days, subject to the 190 day lifetime limit on psychiatric hospital care, are available.