Medicare inpatient treatment for elderly non-dementia psychiatric illnesses 1992--2002; length of stay and expenditures by facility type.
We summarize Medicare utilization and payment for inpatient treatment of non-dementia psychiatric illnesses (NDPI) among the elderly during 1992 and 2002. From 1992 to 2002, overall mean Medicare expenditures per elderly NDPI inpatient stay declined by $2,254 (in 2002 dollars) and covered days by 2.8. However, these changes are complicated by expanded use of skilled nursing facilities and hospital psychiatric units, and decreased use of long-stay hospitals and general hospital beds. This suggests that inpatient treatment for NDPI is shifting into less expensive settings which may reflect cost-cutting strategies, preferences for less restrictive settings, and outpatient treatment advances.
Hoover
Donald R
DR
Center for Health Services Research on Pharmacotherapy, Chronic Disease Management, The State University of New Jersey, 30 College Avenue, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA. drhoover@stat.rutgers.edu
Akincigil
Ayse
A
Prince
Jonathan D
JD
Kalay
Ece
E
Lucas
Judith A
JA
Walkup
James T
JT
Crystal
Stephen
S
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D005102:Health Expenditures / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000191:economics* / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008297:Male; D006278:Medicare / Q000191:economics* / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000191:economics* / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation; D015995:Prevalence; D012866:Skilled Nursing Facilities / Q000191:economics* / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D014481:United States