Report Outlines Hospital Readmissions Rates for People with Medicare

Hospital readmissions for Medicare patients cost the health care system $26 billion a year, according to a new report by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF). More than $17 billion of the total costs for hospital readmissions for Medicare patients are for unnecessary return trips.

According to the report, hospital readmission rates among people with Medicare are closely linked to where the patient lives and the health systems providing their care. Even patients with similar illnesses have varying readmission rates depending on their geographic location. For example, Medicare beneficiaries in Bronx, New York have a 30-day readmission rate of 18.3 percent. In contrast, beneficiaries in Bend, Oregon, admitted for similar reasons, have a readmission rate of 7.6 percent.

The report finds that many beneficiaries were unable to understand their discharge information, including instructions for taking new medications or preventing further complications. Beneficiaries also described feeling rushed through the discharge process and experiencing a lack of follow-up care. Providers reported issues with reimbursement methods that send some patients home before they are ready, thus leading to readmissions.

Under the Affordable Care Act (ACA), the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services imposes penalties for hospitals with higher-than-expected readmission rates. As a result, many hospitals are actively engaged in efforts to reduce avoidable readmissions. For example, one hospital featured in the report built a 24-hour pharmacy on-site so patients can fill their prescriptions before they go home, which increases the likelihood that  patients can take their prescriptions and prevent readmission. Another hospital created a special clinic for heart failure patients particularly prone to repeated admissions.

Read the RWJF report.