Examining Post Acute Care Relationships in an Integrated Hospital System

Final Report

Prepared for:
Susan Bogasky
Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation (ASPE)
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

Prepared by:
Barbara Gage, PhD
Melissa Morley, PhD
Pamela Spain, PhD
Melvin Ingber, PhD
RTI International

This report was produced under the direction of Susan Bogasky, Project Officer, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation (ASPE), Office of Health Policy. The findings and conclusions of this report are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the views of ASPE or HHS.

Abstract

This project continues the analysis of Medicare beneficiary level episodes of post-acute care.  RTI builds on its previously funded ASPE project by expanding the episode file to include 2006 claims.  The episode definition initiates with an acute hospital stay and includes all Medicare post acute care services (e.g., long-term care hospitals, skilled nursing facilities, home health agencies, inpatient rehabilitation facilities, outpatient therapy), Part B services, hospice and durable medical equipment. The analysis provides trends on transfer patterns, average payments, average readmission rates, severity of illness factors and other descriptive characteristics of Medicare post acute care users.