Question

To meet the Medicare payor criteria for home enteral or parenteral nutrition, the patient's condition must be considered to be "of long and indefinite duration". Which length of time below meets Medicare's test of permanence requirement?

1: 30 days.
2: 60 days.
3: 90 days.
4: 120 days.

Answer 1

To satisfy Medicare's permanence requirement for home nutrition therapy, a patient's condition must be expected to last at least 3 to 6 months, thus 90 days meets this criterion.

Step-by-step explanation:

To meet the Medicare payor criteria for home enteral or parenteral nutrition, a patient's condition must be of long and indefinite duration. This time period is defined by Medicare as one that is expected to last for at least 3 to 6 months. Therefore, of the options provided, the time length that meets Medicare's test of permanence requirement would be 90 days. Options 1: 30 days, 2: 60 days, and 4: 120 days do not meet this specific criterion for permanence as set forth by Medicare for home nutrition therapy coverage. Parenteral nutrition, often called total parenteral nutrition, is the medical term for infusing a specialized form of food through a vein (intravenously). The goal of the treatment is to correct or prevent malnutrition.