Changes in regional variation of Medicare home health care utilization and service mix for patients undergoing major orthopedic procedures in response to changes in reimbursement policy.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Significant variation in regional utilization of home health (HH) services has been documented. Under Medicare's Home Health Interim and Prospective Payment Systems, reimbursement policies designed to curb expenditure growth and reduce regional variation were instituted.

Objective

To examine the impact of Medicare reimbursement policy on regional variation in HH care utilization and type of HH services delivered.

Research design

We postulated that the reimbursement changes would reduce regional variation in HH services and that HH agencies would respond by reducing less skilled HH aide visits disproportionately compared with physical therapy or nursing visits. An interrupted time-series analysis was conducted to examine regional variation in the month-to-mo

SUBMITTER: FitzGerald JD 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2739026 | biostudies-literature | 2009 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature