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The way that Original Medicare measures your use of hospital and skilled nursing facility (SNF)
services. A benefit period begins the day you’re admitted as an inpatient in a hospital or SNF.
The benefit period ends when you haven’t gotten any inpatient hospital care (or skilled care in a
SNF) for 60 days in a row. If you go into a hospital or a SNF after one benefit period has ended,
a new benefit period begins. You must pay the inpatient hospital deductible for each benefit
period. There’s no limit to the number of benefit periods.
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