What does the Discharge Status indicate on UB-04?

• A. The length of hospital stay.
• B. The discharge date.
• C. The provider's performance metrics.
• D. The patient’s disposition at discharge (home, another facility, discharge against medical advice, death).

Answer: (D)

Discharge status is the UB-04 field that records the patient’s disposition at discharge. It tells where the patient goes or what happens when they leave the hospital—such as being discharged to home, to another facility, discharged against medical advice, or death. This information matters for post‑discharge planning and for billing, because different dispositions can change post‑acute care needs and reimbursement rules. It isn’t about how long the patient stayed (length of stay), it isn’t the discharge date, and it isn’t a measure of provider performance.