title: What happens when Medicare cuts hospital prices? Assessing the impact on inpatient discharges among the elderly.
abstract: Key findings. (1) Between 1995 and 2009, growth in Medicare inpatient prices varied widely across hospital markets. Faster growth typically occurred in less urban areas that had a large market share of for-profit hospitals. (2) By 2008-2009, elderly patients were going to the hospital at the same rate as in the mid-1990s, but their stays were much shorter, and they received much more intensive services. (3) Medicare price cuts, largely attributable to the Balanced Budget Act of 1997, were associated with a decrease in the num­ber of elderly discharges and a decrease in the number of staffed hospital beds, highlighting possible effects of hospital price cuts under health reform.
authors: Lauren
authors: L
authors: Radomski
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D003363:Cost Control / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000639:trends*; D004469:Economics, Hospital / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence* / Q000639:trends; D018166:Health Care Reform / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D006299:Health Services for the Aged / Q000191:economics* / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000639:trends; D017722:Hospital Charges / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000639:trends*; D006761:Hospitals / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay / Q000191:economics / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000639:trends; D006278:Medicare / Q000191:economics* / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000639:trends; D010351:Patient Discharge / Q000191:economics* / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000639:trends; D058991:Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act; D014481:United States