Hospitalizations of Nursing Home Residents: Background and Options

Extensive research has demonstrated that many of the hospitalizations of long stay nursing home residents are potentially avoidable. These hospitalizations add to Medicare and Medicaid costs and have an adverse impact on frail individuals. Current economic incentives that are not aligned, primarily between Medicare and Medicaid, contribute to the situation. ASPE convened a technical expert panel to discuss the issue of avoidable hospitalizations of nursing home residents and to identify possible options to better align the economic incentives. [39 PDF pages]