Observation Care Rules
Two-Midnight Rule
Medicare promulgated the Two-Midnight Rule in 2013 in response to the rise in number and length of observation stays. The rule is intended to provide a clear time-based threshold for when a patient should and should not be admitted as an inpatient. Any patient whose hospital stay is expected to cover at least two midnights is generally considered inpatient, while any patient who requires less than two midnights would be observation.
The Two-Midnight Rule has been highly controversial since its enforcement. In conjunction with our Government Relations department, our resources accessible below will help hospitalists understand, apply and advocate for improvements regarding observation care.
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