Original Medicare appeals if your care is ending

If you are receiving care from a hospital, skilled nursing facility (SNF) skilled nursing facility (SNF) Skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) are Medicare-approved facilities that provide short-term post-hospital extended care services. , Comprehensive Outpatient Rehabilitation Facility (CORF) Comprehensive Outpatient Rehabilitation Facility (CORF) A Comprehensive Outpatient Rehabilitation Facility (CORF) is a medical facility that provides outpatient diagnostic, therapeutic, and restorative services for the rehabilitation of an injury, disability, or illness. , hospice hospice Hospice is a program of end-of-life pain management and comfort care for those with a terminal illness. Medicare’s hospice benefit includes inpatient care and outpatient care, respite care, prescription drugs, counseling, and social services. , or home health agency and are told that Original Medicare Original Medicare Original Medicare, also known as Traditional Medicare, is the fee-for-service health insurance program offered through the federal government, which pays providers directly for the services you receive. Almost all doctors and hospitals in the U.S. accept Original Medicare. will no longer pay for your care (meaning that you will be discharged), you have the right to a fast (expedited) appeal if you do not believe your care should end. There are separate processes for hospital and non-hospital appeals. The two sections below review the steps you should follow if you want to appeal your proposed discharge discharge Discharge is the end to your stay as an inpatient in a medical institution such as a hospital or skilled nursing facility (SNF). . You can file an appeal to extend you care as long as you feel that continued care is medically necessary medically necessary Medically necessary refers to procedures, services, or equipment that meet accepted medical standards and are necessary for the diagnosis and treatment of a medical condition. .

Note: The appeal process is different if your care is being reduced but not ending, and you do not agree with that reduction.

Inpatient hospital appeal for ending care

1. If you are an inpatient at a hospital, you should receive a notice titled  Important Message from Medicare Important Message from Medicare An Important Message from Medicare is a notice you receive from the hospital and sign within two days of being admitted as an inpatient. This notice explains your rights as a patient, and you should receive another copy up to two days, and no later than four hours, before you are discharged. If you disagree with the hospital’s discharge decision, this notice tells you how to file an expedited appeal to the Quality Improvement Organization (QIO). within two days of being admitted. This notice explains your patient rights, and you will be asked to sign it. If your inpatient hospital stay lasts three days or longer, you should receive another copy of the same notice before you leave the hospital. This notice should arrive up to two days, and no later than four hours, before you are discharged.
2. If the hospital says you must leave and you disagree, follow the instructions on the Important Message from Medicare Medicare Medicare is the federal government health insurance program that provides health care coverage if you are 65 or older, are under 65 and receive Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) for 24 months, begin receiving SSDI due to ALS/Lou Gehrig’s Disease, or have End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) no matter your age. You can receive health coverage directly through the federal government (see Original Medicare) or through a private company (see Medicare Advantage). to file an Expedited Appeal Expedited Appeal An expedited appeal is a fast appeal of an Original Medicare, Medicare Advantage, or Medicare Part D plan’s denial of coverage when a person’s “life, health, or ability to regain maximum function” is in jeopardy. to the . You must appeal by midnight of the day of your discharge. The QIO should call you with its decision within 24 hours of receiving all the information it needs.
   • If you are appealing to the QIO, the hospital must send you a Detailed Notice of Discharge Detailed Notice of Discharge A Detailed Notice of Discharge is a notice given to you by a hospital after you have requested a Quality Improvement Organization (QIO) review of the hospital’s decision that you be discharged. (The hospital would have notified you of this decision in the Important Message from Medicare notice.) Once you request QIO review of a discharge decision, the hospital must provide you the Detailed Notice of Discharge in all cases, whether you are in Original Medicare or a Medicare Advantage Plan. This notice explains why your hospital care is ending and lists any Medicare coverage rules related to your case. . This notice explains in writing why your hospital care is ending and lists any Medicare coverage rules related to your case.
   • The QIO will request copies of your medical records from the hospital. It can be helpful to ask the hospital for your own copy (a copying charge may apply). The QIO will usually call you to get your opinion on the discharge, but you can also send a written statement.
   • If your appeal to the QIO is unsuccessful, you will not be held responsible for the cost of the 24-hour period while you waited for the QIO to make a decision. If you remain in the hospital after that period, you may be responsible for the cost of your care if you do not win at a higher level of appeal.
   • If you leave the hospital or miss the deadline to file an expedited appeal to the QIO, you have 30 days from your original discharge date to request a QIO Review QIO Review QIO Review is the initial step in filing an appeal when your care is ending at a hospital, skilled nursing facility (SNF), Comprehensive Outpatient Rehabilitation Facility (CORF), hospice, or home health agency. See also: Quality Improvement Organization (QIO). . The QIO will send a written decision letter once it receives all the information it needs from you and the hospital. Quality Improvement Organization (QIO) Quality Improvement Organization (QIO) A Quality Improvement Organization (QIO) is a group of practicing doctors and health care experts organized to improve the quality of care given to Medicare beneficiaries. QIOs address complaints about quality of care and review appeals for both Original Medicare and Medicare Advantage when you disagree with a provider’s decision to end your care. You have the right to file a fast (expedited) appeal to the QIO to extend your care when Medicare denies coverage or terminates the services you are receiving from a hospital, skilled nursing facility (SNF), Comprehensive Outpatient Rehabilitation Facility (CORF), hospice, or home health agency.
3. If the appeal to the QIO is successful, your care will continue to be covered. If your appeal is denied, you can file an appeal with the Qualified Independent Contractor (QIC) Qualified Independent Contractor (QIC) A Qualified Independent Contractor (QIC) is an independent entity with which Medicare contracts to handle the reconsideration level of an Original Medicare (Part A or Part B) appeal. . You have until noon of the day following the QIO’s denial to file this appeal. The QIC should make a decision within 72 hours. If you continue to stay in the hospital, you cannot be billed until the QIC makes its decision. However, if you lose your appeal, you will be responsible for all costs, including costs incurred during the 72 hours the QIC deliberated.
   • If you left the hospital or missed the deadline to appeal, you can follow the standard appeal process that gives you up to 180 days to file an appeal with the QIC. The QIC should make a decision within 60 days.
4. If the QIC appeal is successful, your hospital care will continue to be covered. If the appeal is denied and your care is worth at least $190 in 2025, you can choose to appeal to the Office of Medicare Hearings and Appeals (OMHA) level within 60 days of the date on your QIC denial letter. If you decide to appeal to the OMHA level, you may want to contact a lawyer or legal services organization to help you with this or later steps in your appeal—but this is not required. OMHA should make a decision within 90 days.
5. If your appeal to the OMHA level is successful, your care will be covered. If your appeal is denied, you can choose to appeal to the Council within 60 days of the date on your OMHA level denial letter.
6. If your appeal to the Council is successful, your care will be covered. If your appeal is denied and you are appealing care that is worth at least $1,840 in 2025, you can choose to appeal to the  Federal District Court Federal District Court The Federal District Court is the final level of the Medicare appeals process, following an unfavorable decision at the Medicare Appeals Council level. within 60 days of the date on your Council denial letter. There is no timeframe for the Federal District Court to make a decision about your appeal.

Non-hospital appeal for ending care

1. If your care is ending at a SNF, CORF, hospice, or home health agency because your provider believes Medicare will not pay for it, you should receive a Notice of Medicare Non-Coverage. You should get this notice no later than two days before your care is set to end. If you receive Home Health Care Home Health Care Home health care is care provided at home to treat an illness or injury. Medicare will only cover home health care if you are homebound and have a need for skilled care, including skilled nursing and/or skilled therapy services. , you should receive the notice on your second to last care visit.
   • If you have reached the limit in your care or do not qualify for care, you do not receive this notice and you cannot appeal.
2. If you feel that your care should continue, follow the instructions on the Notice of Medicare Non-Coverage to file an expedited appeal with the Quality Improvement Organization (QIO) by noon of the day before your care is set to end. The QIO should make a decision no later than two days after your care was set to end. Your provider cannot bill you before the QIO makes its decision.
   • Once you file the appeal, your provider should give you a Detailed Explanation of Non-Coverage. This notice explains in writing why your care is ending and lists any Medicare coverage rules related to your case.
   • The QIO will usually call you to get your opinion. You can also send a written statement. If you receive home health or CORF care, you must get a written statement from a physician who confirms that your care should continue.
   • If you miss the deadline for an expedited QIO review, you have up to 60 days to file a standard appeal with the QIO. If you are still receiving care, the QIO should make its decision as soon as possible after receiving your request. If you are no longer receiving care, the QIO must make a decision within 30 days.
3. If the QIO appeal is successful, you should continue to receive Medicare-covered care, as long as your doctor continues to certify it. If the QIO denies your appeal, you can choose to move to the next level by appealing to the Qualified Independent Contractor (QIC) by noon of the day following the QIO’s decision. The QIC should make a decision within 72 hours. Your provider cannot bill you for continuing care until the QIC makes a decision. However, if you lose your appeal, you will be responsible for all costs, including costs incurred during the 72 hours the QIC deliberated.
   • If you miss the QIC deadline, you have up to 180 days to file a standard appeal with the QIC. The QIC should make a decision within 60 days.
4. If the appeal to the QIC is successful, you should continue to receive Medicare-covered care, as long as your doctor continues to certify it. If your appeal is denied and your care is worth at least $190 in 2025, you can choose to appeal to the Office of Medicare Hearings and Appeals (OMHA) level within 60 days of the date on your QIC denial letter. If you decide to appeal to the OMHA level, you may want to contact a lawyer or legal services organization to help you with this or later steps in your appeal—but this is not required. OMHA should make a decision within 90 days.
5. If your appeal to the OMHA level is successful, you should continue to receive Medicare-covered care, as long as your doctor continues to certify it. If your appeal is denied, you can move to the next level by appealing to the Council within 60 days of the date on your OMHA level denial letter.
6. If your appeal to the Council is successful, you should continue to receive Medicare-covered care, as long as your doctor continues to certify it. If your appeal is denied and you are appealing care that is worth at least $1,840 in 2025, you can choose to appeal to the Federal District Court within 60 days of the date on your Council denial letter. There is no timeframe for the Federal District Court to make a decision.