In order to contribute to the health of each patient, the staff at Mount Washington Care Center in Cincinnati, OH, strives to provide the community with the knowledge needed to make informed care decisions. When making these decisions, patients should know the facts about different types of rehabilitation, especially short-term rehabilitation.

Medicare allows for 100 days of rehabilitation care in a skilled nursing facility. It sounds simple enough, but, in practice, this strictly defined system can leave patients and their families facing challenging dilemmas about choosing the best regimen of care. This 100-day supply does not immediately replenish following every stint in nursing care, and patients should be aware of how the system is designed.

For example, if a Medicare patient receives 60 days of care at a nursing facility, gets discharged, and then returns to skilled nursing care a week later, the patient now has 40 days remaining, not a fresh supply of 100 days. A full 60-day period must elapse between stays in skilled nursing care to reset to the counter for another 100 allotted days.

The inherent risk of utilizing all 100 days, or a majority thereof, during a single stay is that if your loved one requires more care before the 60-day period passes, few or no days will remain. Once your loved one has been cleared to leave the rehabilitation facility, it’s important to keep these Medicare policies in mind before choosing to seek an extension of care, and if you need any guidance, just ask the helpful staff at Mount Washington Care Center.

Mount Washington Care Center is a family-owned and operated rehabilitation center with 24-hour skilled nursing care and a compassionate staff of professional caretakers. To learn more about short-term and long-term rehabilitation options, call (513) 231-4561 or visit their website.