Emergency department and inpatient utilization among U.S. older adults with multiple chronic conditions: a post-reform update.

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND:The Affordable Care Act (ACA) was enacted to enhance access to care primarily among nonelderly and low-income populations; however, several provisions addressed key determinants of emergency department (ED) and inpatient visits among Medicare beneficiaries over age 65 years. We take stock of the overall changes in these visits among older Medicare beneficiaries, focusing on those with multiple chronic conditions (MCCs), and provide a nationally representative post-reform update. METHODS:We analyzed a sample of 32,919 older adults (65+) on Medicare from the 2006-2015 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS). Using a survey-weighted two-part model, we examined changes in ED visits, inpatient visits, and length of stay (LOS) by MCC status, before (2006-2010), during (2011-2013), and

SUBMITTER: Ahn S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6998236 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature