Abstract
Reducing postacute care in skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) in favor of home-based care is a leading cost-saving strategy in new payment models. Yet the extent to which SNF stays can be safely shortened remains unclear. We leveraged the exposure of fee-for-service Medicare beneficiaries without supplemental coverage to cost sharing after SNF benefit day 20 as a cause of shortened stays. Marked reductions in length-of-stay because of cost sharing shifted patients to home more than a week earlier than expected without cost sharing, producing a discharge spike. These reductions were not associated with clear evidence of compromised patient safety as measured by death, hospitalization for fall-related injuries, or all-cause hospitalization within nine days of the spike. Adverse consequences requiring hospitalization could not be excluded for a small proportion of shortened stays. These findings suggest potential for improving postacute care efficiency, as SNF stays may be unnecessarily long to ensure safety.
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.