When we care for patients whose charges are reimbursed by Medicare, we must adhere to Medicare laws and requirements in order to receive payment. The Medicare system requires providers to document “medical necessity” for any care we provide as its very first criteria. Medical necessity provides proof the resident needs the covered services we provide in the setting we provide them. It is the foundation on which all covered care decisions are based, and begins even before the resident is physically admitted to our care. This course will cover how residents are assessed for this important criteria and how medical necessity flows throughout the course of treatment up to, and including, discharge from our care.