Alaska Administrative Code
Title 7 - Health and Social Services
Part 8 - Medicaid Coverage and Payment
Chapter 140 - Medicaid Coverage; Facility and Facility-Based Services
Article 7 - Nursing Facility Services: ICF and SNF
7 AAC 140.585 - Absence from nursing facility

(a) Except as provided in (b) of this section, the department will pay for reserving a bed during a planned temporary absence of a recipient from a nursing facility if the absence is not more than 12 consecutive days and the time of departure and return of the recipient are recorded in the nursing facility's records. A planned temporary absence of not more than 12 consecutive days for which the department will pay for reserving a bed includes

(b) The department will not pay for reserving a bed during a temporary absence of more than 12 consecutive days, unless the department gives prior authorization for the absence. The department will not pay for reserving a bed if the recipient has total absences in excess of 12 days during a 12-month period, unless the department gives prior authorization for the absence. The facility must submit a request in writing and receive written approval from the department before the recipient leaves the nursing facility.

(c) In the recipient's plan of care, the nursing facility shall document the purpose and plan of a therapeutic or rehabilitative absence.

(d) If a recipient leaves a nursing facility for hospitalization, the department will not pay to reserve the recipient's bed at the nursing facility.