Medicare Advantage Members Less Likely to be Hospitalized Than Medicare Beneficiaries

KEY TAKEAWAYS

Research published in JAMA Health Forum analyzed 2018 administrative claims and encounter data for Medicare Advantage and traditional Medicare enrollees.

The findings reveal that Medicare Advantage beneficiaries are less likely to be hospitalized for ambulatory care sensitive conditions, but more likely to be directly discharged from the emergency department or stay for observation.

Medicare Advantage plans could be shifting patients to the lowest care setting to save on costs, but lower quality of care could eventually result in higher costs.