Hospitals May Require Prepayment for Noncovered Services

10.6 - Hospitals May Require Prepayment for Noncovered Services (Rev. 1, 10-01-03) HO-303.3 With regard to noncovered services (e.g., personal comfort items, a private duty nurse), the hospital may deny such services for which the beneficiary has not paid or offered satisfactory assurance of payment if that is the hospital’s practice with nonbeneficiary patients. For example, a private room or TV set need not be furnished to a patient who requests it but is unable to prepay or offer the assurance of payment which is usually required. Where the individual has exhausted his/her covered inpatient hospital benefits, or cannot supply satisfactory evidence of entitlement under Part A, providers are free to apply to such persons the hospital’s usual policy with respect to requiring prepayment or other assurance of payment where the patient has no insurance. In addition, for the beneficiaries receiving covered inpatient services who are not enrolled for medical insurance (Part B), the hospital can apply its usual policy on prepayment or assurance of payment with regard to services of salaried physicians provided.