title: Disparities in home health service providers among Medicare beneficiaries with stroke.
abstract: This study examined the intensity of home health services, as defined by the number of visits and service delivery by rehabilitation specialists, among Medicare beneficiaries with stroke. A cross-sectional secondary data analysis was conducted using 2009 home health claims data obtained from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services' Research Data Assistance Center. There were no significant rural-urban differences in the number of home health visits. Rural beneficiaries were significantly less likely than urban beneficiaries to receive services from rehabilitation specialists. Current home health payment reform recommendations may have unintended consequences for rural home health beneficiaries who need therapy services.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Psychiatry , University of Tennessee Health Sciences Center , Memphis , Tennessee , USA.
authors.forename: Medha
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Iyer
authors.affiliation: b Department of Health Sciences , California State University, Northridge , Northridge , California , USA.
authors.forename: Grishma P
authors.initials: GP
authors.lastname: Bhavsar
authors.affiliation: c South Carolina Rural Health Research Center, Arnold School of Public Health , University of South Carolina , Columbia , South Carolina , USA.|d Department of Family and Preventive Medicine, School of Medicine , University of South Carolina , Columbia , South Carolina , USA.
authors.forename: Kevin J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Bennett
authors.affiliation: d Department of Family and Preventive Medicine, School of Medicine , University of South Carolina , Columbia , South Carolina , USA.
authors.forename: Janice C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Probst
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D054625:Healthcare Disparities; D018574:Home Care Agencies / Q000191:economics / Q000592:standards / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D006278:Medicare; D008875:Middle Aged; D012424:Rural Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D020521:Stroke / Q000191:economics / Q000628:therapy*; D014481:United States; D014505:Urban Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data
keywords: Home health; Medicare; rehabilitation specialists; rural; stroke