LTCHs: Restructuring and Industry Consolidation Ahead

Changes to Medicare reimbursement are expected to result in a reduction of payments to some long-term care hospitals (LTCH) and/or a redirection of Medicare spending away from LTCHs in favor of hospitals or "acute care hospitals" (ACH) and other health care providers LTCHs treat medically...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inAmerican Bankruptcy Institute journal Vol. 34; no. 10; p. 34
Main Author Winters, Ronald
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Alexandria American Bankruptcy Institute 01.10.2015
Subjects
Budgets
Cost control
Fiscal years
Health care expenditures
Hospitals
Length of stay
Long term health care
Medicare
Patient Protection & Affordable Care Act 2010-US
Patients
Prospective payment systems
Reimbursement
Subacute care
Ventilators
United States > US
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Summary:Changes to Medicare reimbursement are expected to result in a reduction of payments to some long-term care hospitals (LTCH) and/or a redirection of Medicare spending away from LTCHs in favor of hospitals or "acute care hospitals" (ACH) and other health care providers LTCHs treat medically complex -- but stable -- patients. ACHs treat acute needs and seek to discharge patients to other appropriate venues when medically safe and financially prudent. LTCHs are considered among the most-expensive venues for providing patient care. In 2013, Medicare spent approximately $5.5 billion to provide LTCH care for just under 138,000 LTCH cases. Medicare spending in Fiscal Year 2013 was slightly greater than $40,000 per LTCH case and varies by acuity and other factors. LTCHs will face economic headwinds in the coming years, especially the approximately half of all LTCHs that are not managed by larger multi-facility operators.
ISSN:1931-7522