Dataset Information

Racial and Ethnic Composition of Hospitals' Service Areas and the Likelihood of Being Penalized for Excess Readmissions by the Medicare Program.

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND:The Hospital Readmission Reduction Program (HRRP) disproportionately penalizes hospitals serving minority communities. The National Academy of Science, Engineering, and Medicine has recommended that the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) consider adjusting for social risk factors in their risk adjustment methodology. This study examines the association between the racial and ethnic composition of a hospital market and the impact of other social risk factors on the probability of a hospital being penalized under the HRRP. RESEARCH METHODS AND DATA:This study analyzes data from CMS, the American Hospital Association, and the American Community Survey for 3168 hospitals from 2013 to 2017. We used logistic regression models to estimate the association between the penalty status under HRRP and the racial and ethnic composition of a hospital market, and explored whether this association was moderated by other social risk factors. RESULTS:Our results indicate that the probability of being penalized increases with the percentage of black and Asian residents in the hospital service area (HSA) and decreased with the percentage of Hispanic residents in the HSA. This association was reduced and became statistically insignificant when we controlled for other social risk factors. The strongest predictors of penalty status were the hospital's share of Medicaid patients and the percent of persons without a high school diploma in the HSA. CONCLUSIONS:By incorporating relevant social risk factors in the reimbursement methodology, CMS could mitigate the negative effects of HRRP on hospitals serving minority communities.

SUBMITTER: Gaskin DJ

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6185808 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

ACCESS DATA

Publications

Racial and Ethnic Composition of Hospitals' Service Areas and the Likelihood of Being Penalized for Excess Readmissions by the Medicare Program.

Gaskin Darrell J DJ Zare Hossein H Vazin Roza R Love DeJa D Steinwachs Donald D

Medical care 20181101 11

<h4>Background</h4>The Hospital Readmission Reduction Program (HRRP) disproportionately penalizes hospitals serving minority communities. The National Academy of Science, Engineering, and Medicine has recommended that the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) consider adjusting for social risk factors in their risk adjustment methodology. This study examines the association between the racial and ethnic composition of a hospital market and the impact of other social risk factors on th ...[more]

PMID: 30256281

Similar Datasets

Project description:BackgroundRisk factors common to nursing home (NH) residents are potentially not fully captured by the Hospital Readmissions Reduction Program (HRRP). The unique challenges faced by hospitals that disproportionately serve NH residents who are at greater risk of readmissions have not been studied.MethodsUsing 100% Medicare Provider Analysis and Review File and the Minimum Data Set from 2010-2013, we constructed a measure of hospital share of NH-originating hospitalizations (NOHs). We defined hospital share of NOHs as the proportion of inpatient stays by patients aged 65 or older who were directly admitted from NHs. To evaluate the impact of the share of NOHs on readmission penalties, we categorized hospitals into quartiles according to their share of NOHs and estimated the differences in the adjusted penalties across hospital quartiles after accounting for hospital characteristics, market characteristics and state fixed effects. We repeated the analyses for the penalties incurred in each year between 2015 and 2019.ResultsHospitals varied substantially in the share of NOHs (median [interquartile range], 11.3% [8.2%-15.1%]), with limited variation over time. In 2015, hospitals in the highest quartile of NOH received on average 0.58% Medicare payment reduction compared to 0.44% reduction among those in the lowest quartile (32.9% higher penalties, p < 0.001). The increase in penalties continued to grow in 2017 and 2018 when the HRRP expanded to include additional target conditions (47.3% and 66.7%, respectively, p < 0.001 for both). Although the effect diminished in 2019 following the additional adjustment for hospital's dual-eligible share, hospitals in the highest quartile of NOH still incurred 43.0% (p < 0.001) higher penalties than those in the lowest quartile.ConclusionsHospitals varied considerably in their share of NOHs. Hospitals having a higher share of NOHs were disproportionately penalized for excess readmissions, even under the revised policy that adjusts for the share of dual-eligible admissions.

Project description:BackgroundDifferences in the control of blood pressure, cholesterol, and glucose among the various racial and ethnic groups of Medicare enrollees may contribute to persistent disparities in health outcomes.MethodsAmong elderly enrollees in Medicare Advantage health plans in 2011 who had hypertension (94,171 persons), cardiovascular disease (112,039), or diabetes (105,848), we compared the respective age-and-sex-adjusted proportions with blood pressure lower than 140/90 mm Hg, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels below 100 mg per deciliter (2.6 mmol per liter), and a glycated hemoglobin value of 9.0% or lower, according to race or ethnic group. Comparisons were made nationally and within regions and health plans, and changes since 2006 were assessed.ResultsBlack enrollees in 2006 and 2011 were substantially less likely than white enrollees to have adequate control of blood pressure (adjusted absolute differences in proportions of enrollees in the 2 years, 7.9 percentage points and 10.3 percentage points, respectively), cholesterol (11.4 percentage points and 10.2 percentage points, respectively), and glycated hemoglobin (10.1 percentage points and 9.4 percentage points, respectively) (P<0.001 for all comparisons). Differing distributions of enrollees among health plans accounted for 39 to 59% of observed disparities in 2011. These differences persisted in 2011 in the Northeast, Midwest, and South (6.9 to 14.1 percentage points, P<0.001 for all comparisons) but were eliminated in the West for all three measures (<1.5 percentage points, P≥0.15). Hispanic enrollees were less likely than whites in 2011 to have adequate control of blood pressure (adjusted difference, 1.6 percentage points), cholesterol (adjusted difference, 1.0 percentage points), and glycated hemoglobin (adjusted difference, 3.4 percentage points) (P≤0.02 for all comparisons). Asians and Pacific Islanders were more likely than whites to have adequate control of blood pressure (difference, 4.4 percentage points; P<0.001) and cholesterol (5.5 percentage points, P<0.001) and had similar control of glycated hemoglobin (0.3 percentage points, P=0.63).ConclusionsDisparities in control of blood pressure, cholesterol, and glucose have not improved nationally for blacks in Medicare Advantage plans, but these disparities were eliminated in the West in 2011. (Funded by the National Institute on Aging.).

Project description:ImportanceDifferences in readmission rates among racial and ethnic minorities have been reported, but data among people with diabetes are lacking despite the high burden of diabetes and its complications in these populations.ObjectivesTo examine racial/ethnic differences in all-cause readmission among US adults with diabetes and categorize patient- and system-level factors associated with these differences.Design, setting, and participantsThis retrospective cohort study includes 272?758 adult patients with diabetes, discharged alive from the hospital between January 1, 2009, and December 31, 2014, and stratified by race/ethnicity. An administrative claims data set of commercially insured and Medicare Advantage beneficiaries across the United States was used. Data analysis took place between October 2016 and February 2019.Main outcomes and measuresUnplanned all-cause readmission within 30 days of discharge and individual-, clinical-, economic-, index hospitalization-, and hospital-level risk factors for readmission.ResultsA total of 467?324 index hospitalizations among 272?758 adults with diabetes (mean [SD] age, 67.7 [12.7]; 143?498 [52.6%] women) were examined. The rates of 30-day all-cause readmission were 10.2% (33?683 of 329?264) among white individuals, 12.2% (11?014 of 89?989) among black individuals, 10.9% (4151 of 38?137) among Hispanic individuals, and 9.9% (980 of 9934) among Asian individuals (P?<?.001). After adjustment for all factors, only black patients had a higher risk of readmission compared with white patients (odds ratio, 1.05; 95% CI, 1.02-1.08). This increased readmission risk among black patients was sequentially attenuated, but not entirely explained, by other demographic factors, comorbidities, income, reason for index hospitalization, or place of hospitalization. Compared with white patients, both black and Hispanic patients had the highest observed-to-expected (OE) readmission rate ratio when their income was low (annual household income <$40?000 among black patients: OE ratio, 1.11; 95% CI, 1.09-1.14; among Hispanic patients: OE ratio, 1.11; 95% CI, 1.07-1.16) and when they were hospitalized in nonprofit hospitals (black patients: OE ratio, 1.10; 95% CI, 1.08-1.12; among Hispanic patients: OE ratio, 1.08; 95% CI, 1.05-1.12), academic hospitals (black patients: OE ratio, 1.16; 95% CI, 1.13-1.20; Hispanic patients: OE ratio, 1.12; 95% CI, 1.06-1.19), or large hospitals (ie, with ?400 beds; black patients: OE ratio, 1.11; 95% CI, 1.09-1.14; Hispanic patients: OE ratio, 1.09; 95% CI, 1.04-1.14).Conclusions and relevanceIn this study, black patients with diabetes had a significantly higher risk of readmission than members of other racial/ethnic groups. This increased risk was most pronounced among lower-income patients hospitalized in nonprofit, academic, or large hospitals. These findings reinforce the importance of identifying and addressing the many reasons for persistent racial/ethnic differences in health care quality and outcomes.

Project description:ObjectiveVariation in bronchiolitis management by race and ethnicity within emergency departments (EDs) has been described in single-center and prospective studies, but large-scale assessments across EDs and inpatient settings are lacking. Our objective is to describe the association between race and ethnicity and bronchiolitis management across 37 U.S. freestanding children's hospitals from 2015 to 2018.MethodsUsing the Pediatric Health Information System, we analyzed ED and inpatient visits from November 2015 to November 2018 of children with bronchiolitis 3 to 24 months old. Rates of use for specific diagnostic tests and therapeutic measures were compared across the following race/ethnicity categories: 1) non-Hispanic White (NHW), 2) non-Hispanic Black (NHB), 3) Hispanic, and 4) other. The subanalyses of ED patients only and children < 1 year old were performed. Mixed-effect logistic regression was performed to compare the adjusted odds of receiving specific test/treatment using NHW children as the reference group.ResultsA total of 134,487 patients met inclusion criteria (59% male, 28% NHB, 26% Hispanic). Adjusted analysis showed that NHB children had higher odds of receiving medication associated with asthma (odds ratio [OR] = 1.27, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.22 to 1.32) and lower odds of receiving diagnostic tests (blood cultures, complete blood counts, viral testing, chest x-rays; OR = 0.78, 95% CI = 0.75 to 0.81) and antibiotics (OR = 0.58, 95% CI = 0.52 to 0.64) than NHW children. Hispanic children had lower odds of receiving diagnostic testing (OR = 0.94, 95% CI = 0.90 to 0.98), asthma-associated medication (OR = 0.92, 95% CI = 0.88 to 0.96), and antibiotics (OR = 0.74, 95% CI = 0.66 to 0.82) compared to NHW children.ConclusionNHB children more often receive corticosteroid and bronchodilator therapies; NHW children more often receive antibiotics and chest radiography. Given that current guidelines generally recommend supportive care with limited diagnostic testing and medical intervention, these findings among NHB and NHW children represent differing patterns of overtreatment. The underlying causes of these patterns require further investigation.

Project description:ObjectiveTo examine racial/ethnic differences in emergency department (ED) transfers to public hospitals and factors explaining these differences.Data sources and study settingED and inpatient data from the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project for Florida (2010-2019); American Hospital Association Annual Survey (2009-2018).Study designLogistic regression examined race/ethnicity and payer on the likelihood of transfer to a public hospital among transferred ED patients. The base model was controlled for patient and hospital characteristics and year fixed effects. Models II and III added urbanicity and hospital referral region (HRR), respectively. Model IV used hospital fixed effects, which compares patients within the same hospital. Models V and VI stratified Model IV by payer and condition, respectively. Conditions were classified as emergency care sensitive conditions (ECSCs), where transfer is protocolized, and non-ECSCs. We reported marginal effects at the means.Data collection/extraction methodsWe examined 1,265,588 adult ED patients transferred from 187 hospitals.Principal findingsBlack patients were more likely to be transferred to public hospitals compared with White patients in all models except ECSC patients within the same initial hospital (except trauma). Black patients were 0.5-1.3 percentage points (pp) more likely to be transferred to public hospitals than White patients in the same hospital with the same payer. In the base model, Hispanic patients were more likely to be transferred to public hospitals compared with White patients, but this difference reversed after controlling for HRR. Hispanic patients were - 0.6 pp to -1.2 pp less likely to be transferred to public hospitals than White patients in the same hospital with the same payer.ConclusionsLarge population-level differences in whether ED patients of different races/ethnicities were transferred to public hospitals were largely explained by hospital market and the initial hospital, suggesting that they may play a larger role in explaining differences in transfer to public hospitals, compared with other external factors.

Dataset Information

Racial and Ethnic Composition of Hospitals' Service Areas and the Likelihood of Being Penalized for Excess Readmissions by the Medicare Program.

Publications

Racial and Ethnic Composition of Hospitals' Service Areas and the Likelihood of Being Penalized for Excess Readmissions by the Medicare Program.

Similar Datasets

OmicsDI is part of the ELIXIR infrastructure

Tweets