Medicare: Emergency Rule for All Hospitals
April 27, 2007
Nearly all hospitals that accept Medicare must provide emergency services, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services said Thursday.
Only small, rural hospitals are exempt from the responsibility to provide initial treatment and transfer services in the case of an emergency, according to a new guidance. That requirement also applies to hospitals — including specialty hospitals — that do not have emergency departments.
Before the guidance, some hospitals relied on 911 services to satisfy the requirement for medical services.
The rule is part of Medicare’s overall requirement that hospitals have the ability to meet patient emergency needs seven days a week, 24 hours a day, the agency said.
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