Why the study?
Does dual eligibility for Medicare and Medicaid increase the likelihood of 30-day readmission compared to Medicare alone?
Does dual eligibility for Medicare and Medicaid increase the likelihood of 30-day readmission compared to Medicare alone?
Dual-eligible Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries have higher 30-day readmission rates, though rural residents benefit significantly from physician follow-up care.
Answers are grounded in this paper and cite their sources.
Provides initial data on readmission factors in dual eligibles; leaves open causal relationships and intervention targets pending longitudinal research.
PURPOSE: Dual-eligible beneficiaries represented 19% of Medicare and 14% of Medicaid enrollment in 2009. Of Medicare discharges among dually eligible beneficiaries, 21.5% resulted in a 30-day rehospitalization. Little has been published regarding dual-eligible beneficiaries' readmission rates and factors affecting readmission. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional analysis of Medicare claims, restricted to 297,084 beneficiaries with a hospitalization from February 1, 2009, through November 30, 2009. FINDINGS: Dual eligibles had higher hospitalization and 30-day readmission rates than Medicare-only beneficiaries. Multivariable regression indicated dual eligibility, younger age, and specific chronic conditions increased the likelihood of a 30-day readmission. Rural dually eligible beneficiaries had lower readmission rates than other beneficiaries, and they had a protective effect of physician follow-up care. CONCLUSIONS: Having a 30-day physician follow-up had differential effects in urban versus rural locations, yet rural residents had a higher rate of follow-up care. The impact of adequate follow-up care, and how rural populations are successful, would be beneficial to understand. Substantial savings could accrue if interventions reduced readmissions among dual-eligible beneficiaries.
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Bennett et al. (2015) studied this question.
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