Home for the Holidays: Leaving the Nursing Home to Share in Holiday Gatherings
Question: Our father is in a nursing home, but we would like to bring him home on Thanksgiving and Christmas day so we can all be at the table together. Will that disqualify him for Medicare coverage?
Answer: Under Medicare law, a resident at a skilled nursing facility can leave the nursing home for a day or two to enjoy the holidays with family and friends without losing Medicare coverage. This fall with Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, Christmas and New Year there are lots of opportunities for seniors in nursing homes to re-connect with family and friends. You can help facilitate those family gatherings without worrying that your father will lose Medicare coverage if he leaves the facility to participate. The Medicare Benefit Policy Manual states that “an outside pass or short leave of absence,” such as attending a special religious service, holiday meal, or other family vacation is “not, by itself evidence that the individual no longer needs to be in a [skilled nursing facility].” However, you should be aware that the nursing home can charge you for a bed-hold payment under some circumstances. If you have questions about arranging for your loved one’s care and qualifying for public benefits like Medicaid, Medicare, and Veterans Benefits, contact Babette B. Bach, a Board Certified Elder Law Attorney and elder law expert.
