Memorial Hermann Katy’s case management team begins assessing discharge needs within the first 24 to 48 hours of admission. For scheduled procedures, pre-admission planning may be available. Case managers review the patient’s clinical needs, identify the appropriate post-acute level of care, and coordinate with the patient’s insurer for authorization. They maintain a referral list of local post-acute providers, though you are not limited to choosing from that list.

The Katy area has skilled nursing facilities in Katy proper, Cinco Ranch, and nearby Richmond and Rosenberg. Assisted living communities — including those with memory care units — have expanded significantly in the corridor over the past decade. Home health agencies serving the Katy zip codes provide skilled nursing, therapy, and aide services for patients returning home. Availability varies; a placement specialist working in real time can identify who has current open beds or units.

Choosing memory care from hospital discharge requires evaluating both the medical appropriateness of assisted living (vs. SNF) and which memory care communities are a good clinical and personal fit. The Katy area has several dedicated memory care communities. Ask about dementia-specific programming, staff training in memory care, secured environment, behavioral management approach, and how the community handles medical appointments. A placement specialist can pre-screen communities and introduce you to the ones most likely to be a good fit.

Yes. Memorial Hermann Katy is part of the Memorial Hermann system and has transfer protocols with Memorial Hermann Texas Medical Center and other system hospitals for cases requiring subspecialty care. Discharge planning at Katy may involve coordination with the TMC case management team if a patient will be transferred for further acute care before discharge. The system’s unified electronic health record also facilitates information sharing across campuses.

If a Medicare Advantage plan denies SNF authorization or approves fewer days than the clinical team recommends, you have the right to appeal. The case manager can assist with the initial appeal. For an expedited appeal, contact your plan directly and request a review — plans are required to respond to expedited appeals within 72 hours. If the appeal is denied and you believe the decision is wrong, you can escalate to an Independent Review Organization. Document all communications with the insurer throughout this process.

Yes, if the attending physician agrees that home discharge is clinically safe. Home discharge is often preferable for patients who do not need 24-hour nursing but do need some skilled professional support. Memorial Hermann has a home health affiliate, and independent agencies also serve the Katy area. Ensure that home health services are confirmed and scheduled to begin within 24 hours of discharge — a gap in services after discharge is one of the most common contributors to readmission.

Patients with both Medicare and Medicaid — called dual-eligible — have access to the broadest range of covered post-acute services. For SNF care, Medicare pays primary (covering days 1-100 per benefit period with the standard copayment structure), and Texas Medicaid may cover the copayment and extended care beyond 100 days. Not all SNFs participate in both programs; ask specifically whether a facility accepts dual-eligible patients and whether they have Medicaid-certified beds.

A skilled nursing facility (SNF) provides daily skilled nursing care and therapy in a setting that also manages custodial needs. An inpatient rehabilitation facility (IRF) provides intensive therapy — at least three hours per day — in a more acute setting, typically for patients recovering from major events like stroke, joint replacement, or hip fracture. IRF is appropriate for patients who can tolerate and benefit from intense therapy. SNF rehab is more appropriate for patients who need therapy but cannot tolerate IRF intensity. The attending physician and case manager determine which is clinically appropriate.

Memorial Hermann Katy case managers can include remote family members in discharge planning via phone or video conference. If you are a primary decision-maker but cannot be physically present at the hospital, establish contact with the case manager early and ask to be included in all discharge-related communications. You can also designate a local contact who can visit facilities on the family’s behalf — or work with a placement specialist who can serve as boots-on-the-ground for a family managing discharge from a distance.

Erika Crossley works with families throughout the Houston metro and has direct experience with the Katy-area senior care market. She can identify appropriate post-acute options with current availability, coordinate tours and admissions, and help families make informed decisions under time pressure. Since she is independent of the hospital and of all care facilities, her advice is unbiased. She is available same-day for urgent discharge situations and her services are always free to families.