Every Medicare hospital patient has a fast-appeal right most families never use: one phone call to the QIO before noon the day after the discharge notice, and an independent physician reviews the case while the patient stays — and the hospital can't bill for the days. Type when you got the notice and what's going on. You get the deadline computed, the number, the script, and what the hospital owes you in writing.
Free appeal clock
The date (and time) the discharge notice or IM was handed over, the planned discharge date, why the patient isn't ready, and the plan (home, rehab, SNF).
Why this exists
When you call the QIO in time, the hospital must deliver a Detailed Notice explaining why it's discharging, the QIO's doctor reviews the chart, and Medicare keeps paying until the decision — usually within a day. Most families never call because nobody tells them the number.
How it works
When you received the notice, the planned discharge, the Medicare type, why the patient isn't ready.
The fast-appeal cutoff computed, the Florida QIO (KEPRO) number, the exact script, and what to have at hand (Medicare number, hospital, admission date).
What the hospital must deliver, what the QIO doctor reviews, the timeline, the second-level (expedited reconsideration) if you lose, and safe-discharge planning questions for the case manager.
Plans
For one family. Hospitals' patient advocates, elder-law firms and SHINE volunteers license it.
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The QIO call script, the written statement of the patient's condition for the reviewer, a safe-discharge checklist (what must be arranged before any discharge), the expedited-reconsideration steps, and a timeline card.
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Common questions
Yes, Hospital Discharge Appeal is free, with no cost and no lawyer required. The material describing the tool does not say anything about storing or keeping what you type, so no promise is made either way beyond it being free to use.
You type the date you got the hospital's 'Important Message from Medicare' notice, and the tool computes the deadline: you must call the Quality Improvement Organization (QIO) by noon of the day after you received that notice. The notice's own wording and the QIO control the actual deadline, so this is not legal advice.
According to the material, once you call, an independent doctor reviews the case and Medicare keeps paying — the hospital can't bill for those days during the review. The tool also tells you what the hospital must give you in writing, the Detailed Notice of Discharge.
Yes — the material states the same QIO right applies to Medicare Advantage. Florida's QIO is Acentra Health (KEPRO), 1-888-317-0751, and SHINE can also help at 1-800-963-5337.
No. Hospital Discharge Appeal explains Medicare's expedited discharge-appeal rules and computes a deadline from what you type, but it is not medical or legal advice, cannot see the medical chart, and does not call the QIO for you. Confirm the exact date and the QIO's current number with the hospital or agency, since Florida's QIO contractor may change; for Medicare denials or an ANOC letter, use Medicare Decoder instead.
Sí, Hospital Discharge Appeal es gratuito, sin costo y sin necesidad de abogado. El material que describe la herramienta no indica si se guarda o no lo que usted escribe, así que no se hace ninguna promesa al respecto más allá de que su uso es gratuito.
Usted escribe la fecha en que recibió el aviso 'Mensaje Importante de Medicare' del hospital, y la herramienta calcula el plazo: debe llamar a la Organización para el Mejoramiento de la Calidad (QIO) antes del mediodía del día siguiente a recibir ese aviso. El texto del propio aviso y la QIO son quienes determinan el plazo real, por lo que esto no constituye asesoría legal.
Según el material, una vez que usted llama, un médico independiente revisa el caso y Medicare sigue pagando; el hospital no puede cobrar por esos días mientras dura la revisión. La herramienta también le indica qué debe entregarle el hospital por escrito, el Aviso Detallado de Alta.
Sí; el material indica que el mismo derecho de apelación ante la QIO aplica a Medicare Advantage. La QIO de la Florida es Acentra Health (KEPRO), 1-888-317-0751, y SHINE también puede ayudar al 1-800-963-5337.
No. Hospital Discharge Appeal explica las reglas de apelación acelerada de alta hospitalaria de Medicare y calcula un plazo a partir de lo que usted escribe, pero no es asesoría médica ni legal, no puede ver el expediente médico y no llama a la QIO por usted. Confirme la fecha exacta y el número actual de la QIO con el hospital o la agencia, ya que el contratista de la QIO en la Florida puede cambiar; para denegaciones de Medicare o una carta ANOC, use Medicare Decoder.
Built by the same team, free to try.