What requirement must be met for Medicare beneficiaries to utilize Skilled Nursing Facility (SNF) services?

To utilize Skilled Nursing Facility (SNF) services, Medicare beneficiaries must meet the requirement of having a three-day inpatient stay in a hospital. This means that the beneficiary must be admitted to an acute care hospital and receive inpatient care for at least three consecutive days prior to being eligible for Medicare coverage for skilled nursing services.

This requirement is in place to ensure that patients have needed a certain level of medical care before transitioning to a skilled nursing facility, where they can receive rehabilitation and nursing care following their hospital stay. The three-day rule serves as a safeguard to ensure that patients are appropriately screened for SNF care needs, allowing Medicare to allocate resources effectively based on clinical requirements.

Other choices do not meet the specific requirement established for coverage of skilled nursing services under Medicare. For instance, while a referral from a physician may be part of the process for accessing care, it does not constitute a condition for coverage. Continuous outpatient care over six months does not apply in this context and does not meet the criterion for entering a SNF.