CMS has issued a final rule establishing the requirements for hospitals notifying Medicare inpatients of their discharge appeal rights. Based on public comments, CMS made changes to the Notification of Hospital Discharge Appeal Rights proposed rule to allow hospitals to use a revised form of the Important Message from Medicare notice to outline patients’ discharge rights instead of having to create a new discharge notice. Hospitals must give patients the message within two days of admission and obtain the beneficiary’s or representative’s signature. Beneficiaries who request an appeal must receive a more detailed notice. The new process will take effect July 1, 2007.
