How to plan for a longer hospital stay

Heading to the hospital isn’t always a pleasant experience. This is especially true if you know you’ll be there for a longer stay — such as a few weeks or more.

On top of worrying about your health, it may be difficult to face the reality that you’ll be away from home, your loved ones and your normal daily routine. Financial concerns may also be on your mind. Will somebody be there to pay your bills? Plus, how much is a hospital stay per day with insurance?

This can be a lot to think about, especially when you’re not feeling your best. That’s why it’s important to plan in advance as much as you can, says Michael Hochman, M.D., M.P.H. He’s an internist in Los Angeles.

Below, learn how to prepare for a longer hospital stay, and find out about the types of insurance that might help in that situation. To put your mind at ease when preparing for a longer hospital stay, Dr. Hochman recommends taking these steps:

Preparing for a longer hospital stay? Call a licensed insurance agent at (800) 827-9990 to talk about supplemental hospital indemnity insurance and how it may help, or browse your options online today.

Step 1. Arrange for someone to take care of your household tasks

You don’t want to worry about unpaid bills piling up while you’re in the hospital, says Dr. Hochman. That’s why he recommends setting all your bills to autopay, so they’ll be paid automatically while you’re gone. (You’ll also want to make sure you have enough funds in your account to cover autopay for an extended time.)

If you have pets, you may want to ask a friend or family member to take care of them for you. Or you can pay someone to stay at your house with them. They’ll take care of your furry friends and keep an eye on your home, too. If you don’t have a pet, you may want to ask a friend or loved one to stop by every few days to pick up your mail and ensure that everything is all right.

And if your home will be vacant for a long period of time, you may want to let your homeowner’s insurance company know. Some policies may cancel coverage if a home has been vacant for an extended period. You may have to adjust your policy for the time you’re gone.

Step 2. Gather your essential documents

You’ll need the following information to take with you to the hospital, says Dr. Hochman:

• Medication list. Always bring a paper copy of all your medications, says Dr. Hochman. This is a good idea even if you normally get all your health care at the same hospital. You may want to do this even if the hospital has your medication list stored electronically, says Dr. Hochman. (You can also bring a bag of your medications with you, or a list of them on your smartphone.)

“Even at the best of hospitals, computer medication lists aren’t always accurate,” he says. “They may not always be updated, so drugs that you don’t use anymore may still be on there.”

• Insurance card. It is sometimes easy to forget, but you’ll want to be sure you have your insurance card for your stay. You may also want to speak to your insurance company to let them know you’ll be heading to the hospital. During that call, you can confirm the coverage you have and any out-of-pocket expenses you’ll be responsible for.
• A copy of your living will. A living will is a legal document. It lets your doctors know how you want to be treated if you cannot make decisions on your own. It may include emergency treatments you would need to keep you alive, such as cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), ventilators and feeding tubes.
• Health care proxy. This identifies your health care proxy and gives their contact information. A health care proxy is a person who can make medical decisions for you if you cannot make them yourself. For example, this person would be able to speak with your health care team about your care if you were in a car accident or had a stroke. This can be done in addition to, or instead of, a living will.
• Emergency contacts. Print out a list of the names and contact numbers of people close to you. These are the people you would want your health care team at the hospital to contact for any urgent or emergency issues, says Dr. Hochman. Be sure to include their relationship to

In addition to bringing this information with you, you may want to email a copy to your health care proxy. You can also send it to anyone else you would consider an emergency contact, says Dr. Hochman. That way, they’ll have it too if necessary.

Step 3. Bring some things from home

For starters, you may want to bring your favorite pillows and blankets. Hospital pillows tend to be uncomfortable. And hospitals themselves are often quite cold, says Dr. Hochman. Your favorite sweats and pajamas may be essentials you want to pack, too. That way, you don’t have to wear a hospital gown for any longer than you need to.

Finally, consider bringing photos of loved ones and pets. If you’ll be at the hospital for a few weeks, you may want to surround yourself with items that make you feel positive emotions. Don’t forget your smartphone and/or tablet charger either, says Dr. Hochman. They’re easy to forget, and you will need them to stay in touch with family, friends and anyone else who may be looking after your home.

Step 4. Consider hospital indemnity insurance

What is hospital indemnity insurance? (You may also see it called hospitalization insurance or hospital insurance.) It’s a type of supplemental insurance plan that you’d pay extra for on top of your traditional health plan.

It pays you a predetermined benefit amount per day for each day you’re confined to a hospital bed up to the calendar year’s maximum. You can talk to the insurer about what that might be.

Hospital indemnity insurance may help cover out-of-pocket expenses that you might have to pay during an extended hospital stay. These include:

• Copayments
• Deductibles
• Nonmedical costs

That’s important, since the average 3-day hospital stay costs around $30,000. While much of that may be covered by your health insurance, over time, out-of-pocket costs can really add up.

Hospital indemnity insurance may also cover expenses beyond the medical-related ones you’d pay for a hospital stay. Benefits could be used for childcare, or you may want to help your family find places to stay nearby. It might also cover transportation for them to and from the hospital. And it may even cover the cost of gas for family members to visit you in the hospital.

You’ll simply pay up front for the costs and provide receipts to your insurance company to be reimbursed for the expenses that might add up.

Call a licensed insurance agent at (800) 827-9990 to talk about hospital indemnity insurance and how it may help during a hospital stay, or browse your options online today.

Step 5. Prepare to move about

If you lie in a hospital bed all day for lengthy periods of time, it can lead to muscle loss and weakness, says Dr. Hochman. Being sedentary like this has also been linked to serious health problems. That includes blood clots, since not moving regularly may reduce blood flow.

That’s why you may want to plan ahead by printing out exercises you can do in your hospital bed or room. Check with your doctor to see what exercises you can safely do. Even just getting in and out of bed frequently may help. Depending on why you’re in the hospital, you may even be eligible for physical or rehabilitation therapy.

Step 6. Keep your mind active

Many people experience confusion and mental decline when they’re in the hospital for long stretches. But there are things you can do to help regain your mental sharpness, says Dr. Hochman.

While it might be tempting to zone out in front of the TV all day, bring several books with you to read. Or pack crossword puzzles.

It’s also important to encourage friends and family to visit. “Just by talking to you, they help to keep your mind active,” says Dr. Hochman. They’re also an extra set of eyes and ears to make sure that you’re doing all right while in the hospital.

Step 7. Plan for support

If you know a surgery or other medical procedure will require home recuperation time, you may want to book help in advance. This is especially true if you’re being hospitalized for an elective procedure, such as a knee or hip surgery, where you know you’ll need a home health aide or home physical therapy.

“A lot of the time, we see that home health assistance is delayed once you’re discharged,” says Dr. Hochman. By planning in advance, it’s less likely that you’ll have an annoying delay when you return home, he says.

The better prepared you are for your longer hospital stay, the less stressed you’ll be. Without the worries of taking care of your home, pets, finances or post-hospital care, you can focus your energy on what you need to do to heal.

Want to prepare financially with some additional coverage? Call a licensed insurance agent at (800) 827-9990 to talk about hospital indemnity insurance, or browse your options online today.