Inpatient Rehabilitative Care

What is Swing Bed?

Union County General Hospital provides Skilled Nursing Care/Swing Bed Services, also known as Inpatient Rehabilitative Care, to patients who qualify.

Swing Bed is a Medicare program designed for patients who no longer need acute hospital care but still require skilled nursing or rehabilitation services before safely returning home following a hospitalization.

The Social Security Act allows certain small rural hospitals to enter into a Swing Bed agreement. This allows the hospital to “swing” its beds between acute care and skilled nursing care as needed.

Some Swing Bed services included at UCGH:

• Skilled nursing care
• Physical therapy - offered up to twice a day, 5 days a week
• Wound care
• IV therapy
• Medication management
• Nutritional support
• Rehabilitation following surgery, illness, or injury

The goal of Swing Bed care is to help patients regain strength and independence while remaining close to home and family.

Qualifications for Swing Bed Services

To qualify for Skilled Nursing Facility-level services through the Swing Bed program, patients must meet Medicare eligibility requirements.

Your physician can help determine whether your condition may benefit from Swing Bed care.

Eligibility Requirements

You must have been admitted as an inpatient in an acute care hospital for at least three consecutive midnights within the 30 days prior to admission to the Swing Bed program.

You must require one or both of the following:

Skilled Nursing Services, such as:

• IV therapy
• Daily injections
• Extensive wound care
• Medication management
• Other medically necessary skilled nursing treatments

Skilled Rehabilitation Services, such as:

• Physical therapy for ambulation and strengthening
• Rehabilitation following surgery, illness, or injury
• Swing Bed services are designed to help patients continue their recovery in a safe, supportive environment while remaining close to home and family.

What Happens During Swing Bed Care?

During your Swing Bed stay, you will have 24-hour access to medical care at Union County General Hospital.

A team of healthcare professionals from several departments — including nursing, rehabilitation therapy, recreational activities, and social services — will work closely with you to establish personalized goals for your recovery.

Our nursing staff will encourage and support you in doing as much as possible for yourself to help improve your:

• Strength
• Endurance
• Independence
• Overall recovery

While in swing bed, you can expect to see a physician once a week, and he/she will remain available as needed throughout your stay to monitor your progress and ongoing medical needs.

Are Swing Bed Services Covered by My Insurance?

Coverage for Swing Bed services depends on your individual insurance plan and eligibility requirements.

To qualify for Medicare coverage, patients must continue to demonstrate a daily need for skilled care services and ongoing progress as determined by their healthcare team.

Traditional Medicare may cover eligible Swing Bed services; however, coverage is based on continued medical necessity and meeting Medicare criteria for skilled care.

Private insurance plans, Medicare Advantage plans, and supplemental insurance policies may also provide coverage, but benefits and requirements may vary. Prior authorization, continued stay reviews, and ongoing approval from the insurance provider may be required throughout the patient’s stay.

Once a patient no longer meets Medicare or insurance criteria for skilled care services, the patient becomes financially responsible for the cost of care.

For patients with Traditional Medicare, post-hospital extended care services provided in a Swing Bed program may be covered based on the number of Skilled Nursing Facility (SNF) days used:

# of Days	Traditional Medicare	Secondary Insurance / Patient Responsibility
1-20	100%	0%
21-100	80%	20%
100+	0%	100%

Our staff is available to help patients and families better understand coverage requirements, authorization processes, and financial responsibilities.

How Long Will I Stay in Swing Bed Services?

The length of a Swing Bed stay varies based on each patient’s individual needs and progress. Typically, patients remain in Swing Bed services for three to six weeks or less.

Throughout your stay, an active evaluation process involving the patient, family members, physician, social services, nursing staff, and therapy team will help determine when you can be safely discharged home.

Following discharge, outpatient rehabilitation services may continue at Union County General Hospital to support your ongoing recovery and independence.