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AHRQ Research Studies
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Research Studies is a compilation of published research articles funded by AHRQ or authored by AHRQ researchers.
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1 to 4 of 4 Research Studies DisplayedWerner RM, Konetzka RT, Qi M
The impact of Medicare copayments for skilled nursing facilities on length of stay, outcomes, and costs.
The objective of this study was to investigate the impact of Medicare's skilled nursing facility (SNF) copayment policy, with a large increase in the daily copayment rate on the 20th day of a benefit period, on length of stay, patient outcomes, and costs. The investigators concluded that Medicare's SNF copayment policy was associated with shorter lengths of stay and worse patient outcomes, suggesting the copayment policy had unintended and negative effects on patient outcomes.
AHRQ-funded; HS024266.
Citation: Werner RM, Konetzka RT, Qi M .
The impact of Medicare copayments for skilled nursing facilities on length of stay, outcomes, and costs.
Health Serv Res 2019 Dec;54(6):1184-92. doi: 10.1111/1475-6773.13227..
Keywords: Medicare, Nursing Homes, Payment, Long-Term Care, Healthcare Costs, Elderly, Hospitalization, Hospital Discharge
Middleton A, Li S, Kuo YF
New institutionalization in long-term care after hospital discharge to skilled nursing facility.
Approximately half of individuals newly admitted to long-term care (LTC) nursing homes (NHs) experienced a prior hospitalization followed by discharge to a skilled nursing facility (SNF). The objective of this study was to examine characteristics associated with new institutionalizations of older adults on this care trajectory. Associations between risk factors and new LTC institutionalizations varied according to race and ethnicity, age, and level of cognitive function.
AHRQ-funded; HS022134.
Citation: Middleton A, Li S, Kuo YF .
New institutionalization in long-term care after hospital discharge to skilled nursing facility.
J Am Geriatr Soc 2018 Jan;66(1):56-63. doi: 10.1111/jgs.15131..
Keywords: Long-Term Care, Nursing Homes, Hospital Discharge, Elderly, Hospitalization, Medicare
Ryskina KL, Konetzka RT, Werner RM
Association between 5-Star nursing home report card ratings and potentially preventable hospitalizations.
The goal of this study was to test whether the improvements in nursing homes’ 5-star ratings were correlated with reductions in rates of hospitalization; the researchers’ hypothesis was that increased attention to ratings motivated nursing homes to make changes to improve ratings but did not affect hospitalization rate, resulting in a weakened association between ratings and hospitalizations. 2007-2010 Medicare hospital claims and nursing home clinical assessment data were used to compare the correlation between nursing homes’ ratings and hospitalization rates. Correlation weakened slightly after the ratings became publicly available. The researchers conclude that improvements in nursing home ratings after the release of Medicare's 5-star rating system were not accompanied by improvements in a broader measure of outcomes for post-acute care patients and, although this dissociation may be due to additional factors, the 5-star ratings became less meaningful as an indicator of nursing home quality for these patients.
AHRQ-funded; HS021861.
Citation: Ryskina KL, Konetzka RT, Werner RM .
Association between 5-Star nursing home report card ratings and potentially preventable hospitalizations.
Inquiry 2018 Jan-Dec;55:46958018787323. doi: 10.1177/0046958018787323..
Keywords: Elderly, Nursing Homes, Medicare, Quality Indicators (QIs), Provider Performance, Quality Measures, Hospitalization, Quality of Care
Keohane LM, Grebla RC, Mor V
Medicare Advantage members' expected out-of-pocket spending for inpatient and skilled nursing facility services.
In 2011, new federal regulations restricted inpatient and skilled nursing facility cost sharing and mandated limits on out-of-pocket spending in Medicare Advantage (MA) plans. The authors found that some MA beneficiaries may still have difficulty affording acute and postacute care despite greater regulation of cost sharing.
AHRQ-funded; HS000011.
Citation: Keohane LM, Grebla RC, Mor V .
Medicare Advantage members' expected out-of-pocket spending for inpatient and skilled nursing facility services.
Health Aff 2015 Jun;34(6):1019-27. doi: 10.1377/hlthaff.2014.1146.
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Keywords: Healthcare Costs, Hospitalization, Policy, Medicare, Nursing Homes