Lock-in

In managed care plans and health maintenance organizations, a provision in which members must receive their medical care from the network providers unless it is an emergency.

long-term care (LTC)

Medical and personal care services rendered to patients who are not in an acute phase of illness but chronically ill, aged, or disabled and generally residing in a nursing home or assisted living facility. Sometimes home health care is provided on a long-term basis, and this may be referred to as LTC . Patients require help with activities of daily living (ADLs) such as bathing, continence, dressing, eating, mobility, transferring in and out of bed or a chair, using the toilet, and walking. Most long-term care is custodial care, and Medicare does not pay for this type of care if this is the only kind of care the patient needs.

Long-term care facility

Health care facility that offers extended nursing care and subacute care services to resident patients whose illness does not require acute care. To participate in the Medicare or Medicaid programs, such a facility must be certified as a skilled nursing facility (SNF) or other nursing facility (NF).

long-term care hospital (LTCH)

1. Facility that treats patients not in an acute phase of illness but who need medical and nursing services not available in nursing homes (e.g., rehabilitation hospital). 2. In the Medicare program, this type of facility is called a short-term acute care hospital . Average inpatient stay is greater than 25 days. Also called long-term hospital and long-term acute care hospital .