Baton Rouge Senior AdvisorWhat should we do first when a Baton Rouge hospital says a parent is ready for discharge?
Ask the case manager three things the same day: whether your parent is an inpatient or under observation, what level of care the team recommends next, and which facilities or agencies have been contacted.
Inpatient status matters because Medicare pays for a skilled nursing stay only after an inpatient hospital stay of at least three days. Observation days do not count. Our Lady of the Lake, Baton Rouge General, Ochsner Baton Rouge and Lane Regional all have case management teams, and you are entitled to ask questions before signing anything.
What are the discharge options for an older patient in Baton Rouge?
Home with Medicare home health, an inpatient rehabilitation hospital for intensive therapy, a skilled nursing facility for short-term rehab, a return to an ARCP with outside services, or, for some, a long-term acute care hospital.
The Baton Rouge area has several licensed inpatient rehabilitation and long-term acute care hospitals, along with roughly forty certified nursing homes. Ask why the team chose its recommendation and whether a more intensive rehab option is realistic.
Can a parent go back to assisted living after a hospital stay?
Usually yes, if the ARCP can meet the new needs: a Level 3 building can take a resident back with home health visits for therapy or wound care, and a resident with a temporary prohibited condition such as wound vac therapy can stay up to 90 days with physician certification (LAC 48:I.6833.D).
Call the ARCP's director before discharge day. Some buildings reassess residents after a hospitalization and may raise the care level or decline readmission, which the residency agreement's termination criteria govern.
How do we choose a skilled nursing facility for rehab?
Compare CMS short-stay quality measures, staffing hours and the latest inspection on each facility's page, ask how many therapy hours a day patients get, and choose a home whose long-term side you would accept if recovery stalls.
The hospital must give you a list of available facilities, but you choose. If your parent has a Medicare Advantage plan, ask which facilities are in network and whether prior authorization has been requested.
What if Medicare coverage for rehab ends early?
The facility must give written notice before Medicare coverage ends, and you can request a fast appeal through the Medicare quality improvement organization named on the notice.
If a long stay looks likely, start planning payment now: private funds, long-term care insurance or a Louisiana Medicaid application, and request the Community Choices Waiver if a return home with help is possible.
Side by side
| Discharge planning should | Discharge planning should not | |
|---|---|---|
| Timing | Start the day you are told | Begin on discharge morning |
| Status | Confirm inpatient versus observation | Assume Medicare will pay rehab |
| Choice | Compare facilities on CMS data | Accept the first open bed by default |
| Return home | Line up home health and equipment | Rely on family to cover skilled care |
Sources: LAC 48:I.Chapter 68 for adult residential care, Louisiana Department of Health (Health Standards Section and Office of Aging and Adult Services) program pages, the Governor's Office of Elderly Affairs, CareScout and VA rate tables, each cited in the text. Our editorial standards explain how we check them.
