The bill aims to count outpatient observation services as inpatient hospital stays for Medicare coverage.
The Improving Access to Medicare Coverage Act of 2025 amends title XVIII of the Social Security Act to count periods of outpatient observation services in a hospital toward the 3-day inpatient hospital stay requirement for Medicare coverage of skilled nursing facility services. This change applies to observation services beginning on or after January 1, 2026, and to completed periods of post-hospital extended care services if an administrative appeal is made within 90 days of the bill's enactment.
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- Overview
- Core Provisions
- Implementation
- Impact
- Legal Framework
- Critical Issues
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