Question 1

My mom is at WakeMed on 'observation status' after a fall — does that count toward Medicare paying for rehab?

Accepted Answer

No. Under longstanding Medicare rules, Part A skilled nursing facility coverage generally requires three consecutive inpatient midnights — time spent under observation status, even in a regular hospital bed at WakeMed, does not count toward that threshold. Ask the WakeMed case manager directly whether your mother has been formally admitted as an inpatient or is still classified as outpatient/observation, since the label can change during the stay. If she's discharged from observation status needing rehab, you may have to pay privately or explore Medicare Advantage plan exceptions.

Question 2

How much advance notice does Duke University Hospital have to give before discharging my father?

Accepted Answer

Hospitals, including Duke University Hospital and Duke Regional, are required to give written discharge planning notice, but there is no fixed statutory number of days — in practice discharge can move quickly once the medical team determines a patient is stable, sometimes within 24-48 hours. You have the right to request a copy of the discharge plan and to ask the case manager for time to evaluate rehab or home-care options before signing off. If you believe discharge is premature, you can formally appeal (see the Medicare discharge appeal process) rather than simply refusing to leave.

Question 3

Can the UNC REX case manager promise my mother a bed at a specific rehab facility?

Accepted Answer

No — hospital case managers at UNC REX (or any Triangle hospital) can provide a list of nearby skilled nursing facilities with open beds and help submit referrals, but they cannot guarantee placement at any specific facility, since bed availability and admission decisions belong to the receiving facility. They also cannot promise a particular length of stay or that Medicare will approve ongoing coverage once your mother is there. Ask the case manager for several options in writing and independently check each facility's CMS Five-Star rating on Medicare Care Compare before agreeing to a placement made under time pressure.

Question 4

How do I appeal a discharge I think is happening too soon from a Raleigh-Durham hospital?

Accepted Answer

Every Medicare inpatient at a Triangle hospital — WakeMed, Duke, UNC REX, or UNC Health Johnston — receives a written 'Important Message from Medicare' notice near admission and again before discharge explaining appeal rights; you can request a fast appeal by contacting the Beneficiary and Family-Centered Care Quality Improvement Organization (QIO) listed on that notice before your family member leaves the hospital. Filing the appeal by the deadline on the notice pauses discharge and financial liability while the QIO reviews the case, typically within a day or two. Ask the hospital's patient advocate or case manager for a copy of the notice if you don't have it, since the appeal number and deadline are printed on that specific document.

Provider	Based in	Address	County
Brookdale North Raleigh	Raleigh	1200 Carlos Drive, 27609	Wake
Amedisys Home Health Care - Raleigh	Raleigh	3921 Sunset Ridge Rd, Suite 102, 27607	Wake

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