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Benefit Period

The time frame Medicare uses to measure your use of hospital and skilled nursing facility services.
Aaron Sims
Reviewed byAaron Sims

Medicare Term

Definition

The time frame Medicare uses to measure your use of hospital and skilled nursing facility services.

A benefit period begins the day you are admitted as an inpatient in a hospital or skilled nursing facility. It ends when you have not received inpatient care for 60 consecutive days. If you are admitted again after a benefit period ends, a new benefit period begins and you must pay the Part A deductible again. There is no limit on the number of benefit periods you can have.

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