title: Hospice costs and medicare reimbursement: an application of break-even analysis.
abstract: The adequacy of Medicare reimbursement to cover hospice costs is examined using break-even analysis. Since hospice costs are high during the first few days after enrollment, a long period of enrollment is required for per diem reimbursement to cover costs. Under a variety of specifications, the length of stay required for the hospice to break even is greater than the median length of stay.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Carney
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Burns
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Brobst
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D003365:Costs and Cost Analysis; D006738:Hospices / Q000191:economics*; D006801:Humans; D007349:Insurance, Health, Reimbursement; D006278:Medicare; D014481:United States