Medicare Patient Load
Relevant to a hospital’s cost reporting, it refers to the total number of hospital inpatient days during the cost reporting period that are attributable to patients for whom payment is made under Medicare Part A, divided by total hospital inpatient days. In calculating inpatient days, inpatient days in any distinct part of the hospital furnishing a hospital level of care are included and nursery days are excluded. When the Medicare patient load is fabricated to appear higher, or the non-Medicare load to appear lower, false claims have been submitted in violation of the False Claims Act.