§ 412.531 Special payment provisions when an interruption of a stay occurs in a long-term care hospital.

(a) Definitions—(1) A 3-day or less interruption of stay defined. “A 3-day or less interruption of stay” means a stay at a long-term care hospital during which a Medicare inpatient is discharged from the long-term care hospital to an acute care hospital, IRF, SNF, or the patient's home and readmitted to the same long-term care hospital within 3 days of the discharge from the long-term care hospital. The 3-day or less period begins with the date of discharge from the long-term care hospital and ends not later than midnight of the third day.

(2) A greater than 3-day interruption of stay defined. “A greater than 3-day or less interruption of stay” means A stay in a long-term care hospital during which a Medicare inpatient is discharged from the long-term care hospital to an acute care hospital, an IRF, or a SNF for a period of greater than 3 days but within the applicable fixed-day period specified in paragraphs (a)(2)(i) through (a)(2)(iii) of this section before being readmitted to the same long-term care hospital.

(i) For a discharge to an acute care hospital, the applicable fixed day period is between 4 and 9 consecutive days. The counting of the days begins on the date of discharge from the long-term care hospital and ends on the 9th date after the discharge.

(ii) For a discharge to an IRF, the applicable fixed day period is between 4 and 27 consecutive days. The counting of the days begins on the day of discharge from the long-term care hospital and ends on the 27th day after discharge.

(iii) For a discharge to a SNF, the applicable fixed day period is between 4 and 45 consecutive days. The counting of the days begins on the day of discharge from the long-term care hospital and ends on the 45th day after the discharge.

(b) Methods of determining payments. (1) For purposes of determining a Federal prospective payment—

(i) Determining the length of stay. In determining the length of stay of a patient at a long-term care hospital for payment purposes under this paragraph (b)—

(A) Except as specified in paragraphs (b)(1)(i)(B) and (b)(1)(i)(C) of this section, the number of days that a beneficiary spends away from the long-term care hospital during a 3-day or less interruption of stay under paragraph (a)(1) of this section is not included in determining the length of stay of the patient at the long-term care hospital when there is no outpatient or inpatient medical treatment or care provided at an acute care hospital or an IRF, or SNF services during the interruption that is considered a covered service delivered to the beneficiary.