What are lifetime reserve days in Medicare?

Lifetime reserve days in Medicare refer to an additional 60 days of inpatient hospital coverage that beneficiaries can use once they have exhausted the standard benefit periods. Under Medicare, during the initial 90-day hospital stay, beneficiaries are covered with a specific daily payment. If a beneficiary requires hospitalization beyond this limit, they can use their lifetime reserve days.

These reserve days allow for extended coverage in cases of serious health issues or complications that necessitate an extended hospital stay. However, once these lifetime reserve days are used, they are permanently forfeited, meaning a beneficiary has a total of only 60 lifetime reserve days available. This highlights the importance of understanding Medicare coverage as it pertains to hospital inpatient services, since those days are a critical resource for beneficiaries with potentially high medical needs over their lifetime.