Swing Bed Recovery Program

What is a Swing Bed?

A swing bed is not a special type of hospital bed. It allows a hospital room to “swing” from acute inpatient care to skilled nursing and rehabilitation care once acute hospitalization is no longer necessary.

Instead of moving to a separate skilled nursing facility, eligible patients can continue their recovery at Conejos County Hospital with support from nurses, therapists, dietary services, and discharge planning.

Your Path Toward Home

Acute Care

Treat the immediate illness, injury, or surgical condition.

Swing Bed Recovery

Rebuild strength, mobility, skills, and confidence.

Home

Return as safely and independently as possible.

Recovery With a Purpose

Progress is not measured only in days. It is measured in the things you are able to do again.

That may mean:

• Walking safely

• Getting in and out of bed independently

• Bathing and dressing

• Improving balance and mobility

• Rebuilding strength and endurance

• Managing medications or treatments

• Completing everyday activities

• Preparing your home and family for a safe return

Your care team will create an individualized recovery plan based on your medical needs, abilities, and personal goals. Therapy services and frequency will be determined by that plan.

Could Swing Bed Be Right for You?

Swing Bed may be appropriate when a patient:

• No longer requires acute hospital care but is not ready to return home safely

• Has had a qualifying hospital stay within the previous 30 days, when required by Medicare or the patient’s insurance plan

• Requires daily skilled nursing care or rehabilitation services

• Needs physical, occupational, or speech therapy following an illness, injury, surgery, or hospitalization

• Requires IV infusions, IV fluids, IV medications, or IV antibiotic therapy that must be administered or monitored by skilled nursing staff

• Needs additional support to improve strength, mobility, balance, endurance, or daily living skills

• Has Medicare or another insurance plan accepted by CCH

Every referral is reviewed individually based on the patient’s clinical needs, recovery goals, available services, and insurance requirements.

Already Home After a Hospital Stay?

A patient may not always need to transfer directly from another hospital.

If the patient had a qualifying hospital stay within the past 30 days and now requires skilled nursing or rehabilitation services related to that condition, the patient may still qualify for admission to the CCH Swing Bed Program.

Call our Swing Bed Coordinator at 719-274-6011 to discuss the patient’s individual circumstances.

What is a Swing Bed?

Depending on the patient’s needs, the Swing Bed care plan may include:

Physical Therapy

Improve strength, balance, endurance, mobility, and safe movement.

Occupational Therapy

Practice the everyday skills needed for greater independence and a safe return home.

Speech Therapy

Support communication, cognition, and swallowing needs.

Skilled Nursing Care

Receive ongoing assessments, medication management, treatments, education, and other provider-ordered skilled services.

IV and Infusion Therapy

Receive IV fluids, medications, infusions, or IV antibiotic therapy requiring skilled nursing administration and monitoring.

Nutrition Support

Receive nutritional assessment, dietary counseling, and support from a registered dietitian.

Discharge Planning

Prepare for a safe transition home, including caregiver education, follow-up services, and equipment coordination when needed.

Personalized Hospital-Based Care

Benefit from a high nurse-to-patient ratio and a private hospital room.

Medicare Eligibility

For Original Medicare coverage, patients generally must:

• Have Medicare Part A and available benefit days

• Have a medically necessary inpatient hospital stay of at least three consecutive days

• Begin Swing Bed services generally within 30 days after leaving the qualifying hospital stay

• Require daily skilled nursing care or skilled therapy services

• Need services related to a condition treated during the qualifying hospital stay

• Continue meeting Medicare’s medical-necessity requirements throughout the Swing Bed stay

Daily skilled services may include:

• IV infusions

• IV fluids or medications

• IV antibiotic therapy

• Skilled nursing assessments and treatments

• Physical therapy

• Occupational therapy

• Speech therapy

The hospital discharge day does not count toward Medicare’s three-day inpatient requirement. Time spent in the emergency department or under observation status generally does not count as an inpatient day.

Certain Medicare waivers, Medicare Advantage plans, and private insurance plans may have different requirements. CCH will review each referral, verify available benefits, and obtain authorization when required.

Meeting the clinical requirements does not guarantee insurance approval or payment.

Understanding Medicare Coverage

For eligible patients using Original Medicare Part A during a benefit period:

• Days 1–20: No daily coinsurance for covered skilled services after any applicable Part A deductible

• Days 21–100: Daily coinsurance applies for up to 80 additional covered days

• Day 101 and beyond: Medicare does not cover additional skilled nursing facility days during that benefit period

Coverage continues only while the patient meets Medicare’s skilled-care requirements and has benefit days available.

Medicare Advantage Plans

Medicare Advantage plans may:

• Establish different qualification requirements

• Approve a specific number of Swing Bed days

• Provide a date when the patient’s continued stay must be reviewed

• Require prior authorization before admission

If the patient continues to require skilled care at the review date, updated clinical and therapy documentation will be submitted to the insurance plan. The insurance company will then approve an extension or issue a denial.

Private insurance coverage varies by plan and must be verified before admission.

For the latest Medicare coverage and cost information, visit Medicare.gov.

How the Referral Process Works For Patients and Families

Talk with your provider, case manager, or hospital discharge planner about whether the CCH Swing Bed Program could support your recovery.

Your hospital care team can help begin the referral process. You do not have to navigate it alone.

For Referring Facilities

Send the referral to the CCH Swing Bed Coordinator and include:

• Patient face sheet

• History and physical

• Most recent provider progress note

• Therapy evaluations

• Most recent therapy notes

• Current medication list

• Relevant clinical and discharge-planning information

What Happens Next?

1. Send the Referral

Fax the complete referral to 719-274-6032.

2. Interdisciplinary Review

Our team will review the patient’s medical, nursing, therapy, and insurance needs. Unless additional information is required, our goal is to respond within 24 hours of receiving a complete referral.

3. Decision and Transfer Coordination

The referring team will be notified whether the patient is accepted or declined and provided with the reason for the decision.

If accepted, CCH will coordinate the transfer with the referring team so we are prepared to safely receive the patient.

Your Next Step Toward Home Can Begin Here

You have already come through the hardest part. Now it is time to rebuild your strength, practice the skills you need, and prepare for what comes next.

For more information about the Swing Bed Program, contact:
Program Information: 719-274-6058
Swing Bed Coordinator: 719-274-6011
Referral Fax: 719-274-6032
19021 HWY 285 La Jara, CO 81140