Q&A: Using the new IM form

Q: The new Important Message from Medicare (IM) form must be used starting April 1. What are the most important changes we should be aware of as we adjust to the updated version of the form?

A: The two major changes made to the IM were the expansion of the first section titled “Your rights as a hospital inpatient” and the last section, “If you miss the deadline to appeal.” Under “Your rights as a hospital inpatient,” two bullet points were added addressing the discharge process:

• You can work with the hospital to prepare for your safe discharge and arrange for services you may need after you leave the hospital. When you no longer need inpatient hospital care, your doctor or the hospital staff will inform you of your planned discharge date.
• You can speak with your doctor or other hospital staff if you have concerns about being discharged.

The second IM change seems subtle, but it may affect the case manager and/or other hospital departments, as well as resource utilization.

In the section “If you miss the deadline to appeal,” there is an additional statement that says, “If you belong to a Medicare health plan: call your plan at (insert plan name and toll-free number of plan).” For this statement, the hospital is expected to provide this information accurately; therefore, a hospital designee will need to be assigned to complete this section.

Editor’s Note: This answer was originally published in a column in the March issue of Case Management Monthly.