Payment source and length of use among home health agency discharges.
OBJECTIVE
Our study compared (1) length of use among home health care (HHC) discharges with Medicare, Medicaid, or private health insurance between 1991 and 2000 and (2) factors associated with length of HHC use among discharges with Medicare, Medicaid, or private health insurance.


METHODS
Data were obtained from the 1992, 1994, 1996, 1998, and 2000 National Home and Hospice Care Surveys (n = 18,416). Logistic regressions and stratified analyses by primary payment source were applied.


RESULTS
After adjusting for covariates, Medicare HHC patients were from 0.52 to 0.75 times less likely to be discharged within 30 days in 1991-1996 than in 1997-1998. Medicaid patients were 0.37 times less likely to be discharged within 30 days in 1991-1992 than in 1997-1998. Patients with private insurance were 2.05 times more likely to be discharged within 30 days in 1993-1994 than in 1997-1998. No significant difference in length of use was found at the multivariate level between 1997-1998 and 1999-2000 among HHC patients with Medicare, Medicaid, or private health insurance. Results for being discharged within 60 days were similar to these described above.


CONCLUSIONS
Our study shows that length of HHC use among Medicare discharges decreased after the implementation of the Medicare interim payment system. We did not find a spillover effect of the Medicare interim payment system on length of HHC use among discharges with Medicaid or private health insurance. Our results can help health professionals and policy makers better understand the dynamic associations between payment systems and length of use of HHC services.
Han
Beth
B
From the National Center for Health Statistics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Hyattsville, Maryland, USA. hih9@cdc.gov
Remsburg
Robin E
RE
Lubitz
James
J
Goulding
Margie
M
D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D018574:Home Care Agencies / Q000191:economics* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D007348:Insurance, Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D007349:Insurance, Health, Reimbursement / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D007902:Length of Stay / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008484:Medicaid / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006278:Medicare / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D010351:Patient Discharge / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D017149:Private Sector; D044469:Racial Groups / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D017678:Sex Distribution; D014481:United States