The evaluation of the National Long Term Care Demonstration. 7. The effect of channeling on the use of nursing homes, hospitals, and other medical services.

An analysis of the impacts of channeling on the use of hospital, nursing home, and other medical services is described. Comprehensive data on hospital and nursing home use were obtained from Medicare and Medicaid claims and provider records; other medical service use was limited to that which is reimbursed by Medicare or Medicaid. The analysis showed that the population served was not at high risk of institutionalization, and that the reductions in nursing home use among the treatment group were neither large nor, generally, statistically significant. An exception was for the small group of persons who were in a nursing home at enrollment, for whom large reductions in nursing home use were found. The population showed a very high use of hospitals and other medical services, but the channeling program had no impact on the use of these services.