My mother was sent to an emergency room over 25 miles from her long-term care facility. I as her POA protested and asked she be sent to a closer hospital emergency room. I was ignored and am wondering if there is a way I can transfer her to a different hospital? I am worried about her care at the hospital she was sent to. What can I do legally?
Please note that Medicare will pay for ambulance going to the first hospital, but will not pay to remove from first hospital to go to a second hospital... unless the second hospital has a special medical unit that isn't available in the first hospital. Usually a "transport" ambulance would be called instead of 911 ambulance.
Was your mom referred or did you make the choice to have her sent to this Long term care facility? Many NH and ALs, work only with the referring hospital, since the NH AL. has paid a referral fee to the hospital for sending them a new patient.
Legally, you need access, if you don't have it already, to any signed agreement/contract between you and/or your mom and the facility. It should spell out what happens in case of an emergency. Be forewarned, if a private ambulance drove her to this place 25 miles away,they will bill Medicare, not only for transport, but mileage as well. Don't be surprised, to receive a bill from the service after they submit their bill to Medicare, since it is highly unlikely Medicare will pay the whole bill.
Whether or not it is true I don't know but was told Medicare makes transfers difficult
At one point I was so frustrated I was thinking of trying to take her out and try to transport her myself but it would have been impossible for me to move her with her broken shoulder and back - as it was they did not start an IV and put her into renal failure from dehydration
Depending on why your mom was taken to the ER - do you expect her to be admitted and then discharged after 3 days?
Medicare will pay, but not all of what many ambulance services charge. Many, will then bill, the patient for the rest.
Once she's admitted to the hospital, I don't see why you can't have her transferred to a different hospital, as long as the insurance is worked out and ALSO her doctor orders it. Which hospital does her doctor have privileges? I'd check on that. And of course, additional ambulance fees may apply.
They try to minimize transfer, because it can be hard on the patient. The patient has to be moved from the bed and hospital room to a stretcher, then loaded into an ambulance with the reverse happening at the next hospital. Anxiety, agitation, and nerves could arise from all the patient is going through with the move.