Discharge Planning determines where a patient goes when they leave the hospital. It is intended to ensure that people do not stay in the hospital for too long or too short a period of time. For example, suppose that a patient no longer needs the full care of a hospital, but needs more care than they can get at home without support. Discharge planning can help them to find a place in skilled nursing facility or to arrange home care to support them at home. Some health insurance policies let you "waive" or "skip" paying premiums if you are hospitalized for a long period of time.