Russell G Buhr1,2,3,4, Nicholas J Jackson5, Gerald F Kominski6,7, Steven M Dubinett8,9, Carol M Mangione6,10, Michael K Ong6,9,11,10. 1. Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA. rbuhr@mednet.ucla.edu. 2. Department of Health Policy and Management, Jonathan and Karin Fielding School of Public Health, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA. rbuhr@mednet.ucla.edu. 3. Department of Medicine, Greater Los Angeles Veterans Affairs Healthcare System, Los Angeles, CA, USA. rbuhr@mednet.ucla.edu. 4. Center for the Study of Healthcare Innovation, Implementation, and Policy, Health Services Research & Development, Greater Los Angeles Veterans Affairs Healthcare System, Los Angeles, CA, USA. rbuhr@mednet.ucla.edu. 5. Department of Medicine Statistics Core, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA. 6. Department of Health Policy and Management, Jonathan and Karin Fielding School of Public Health, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA. 7. Center for Health Policy Research, Jonathan and Karin Fielding School of Public Health, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA. 8. Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA. 9. Department of Medicine, Greater Los Angeles Veterans Affairs Healthcare System, Los Angeles, CA, USA. 10. Division of General Internal Medicine and Health Services Research, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA. 11. Center for the Study of Healthcare Innovation, Implementation, and Policy, Health Services Research & Development, Greater Los Angeles Veterans Affairs Healthcare System, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Hospital readmission rates decreased for myocardial infarction (AMI), heart failure (CHF), and pneumonia with implementation of the first phase of the Hospital Readmissions Reduction Program (HRRP). It is not established whether readmissions fell for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), an HRRP condition added in 2014. OBJECTIVE: We sought to determine whether HRRP penalties influenced COPD readmissions among Medicare, Medicaid, or privately insured patients. DESIGN: We analyzed a retrospective cohort, evaluating readmissions across implementation periods for HRRP penalties ("pre-HRRP" January 2010-April 2011, "implementation" May 2011-September 2012, "partial penalty" October 2012-September 2014, and "full penalty" October 2014-December 2016). PATIENTS: We assessed discharged patients ≥ 40 years old with COPD versus those with HRRP Phase 1 conditions (AMI, CHF, and pneumonia) or non-HRRP residual diagnoses in the Nationwide Readmissions Database. INTERVENTIONS: HRRP was announced and implemented during this period, forming a natural experiment. MEASUREMENTS: We calculated differences-in-differences (DID) for 30-day COPD versus HRRP Phase 1 and non-HRRP readmissions. KEY RESULTS: COPD discharges for 1.2 million Medicare enrollees were compared with 22 million non-HRRP and 3.4 million HRRP Phase 1 discharges. COPD readmissions decreased from 19 to 17% over the study. This reduction was significantly greater than non-HRRP conditions (DID - 0.41%), but not HRRP Phase 1 (DID + 0.02%). A parallel trend was observed in the privately insured, with significant reduction compared with non-HRRP (DID - 0.83%), but not HRRP Phase 1 conditions (DID - 0.45%). Non-significant reductions occurred in Medicaid (DID - 0.52% vs. non-HRRP and - 0.21% vs. Phase 1 conditions). CONCLUSIONS: In Medicare, HRRP implementation was associated with reductions in COPD readmissions compared with non-HRRP controls but not versus other HRRP conditions. Parallel findings were observed in commercial insurance, but not in Medicaid. Condition-specific penalties may not reduce readmissions further than existing HRRP trends.
BACKGROUND: Hospital readmission rates decreased for myocardial infarction (AMI), heart failure (CHF), and pneumonia with implementation of the first phase of the Hospital Readmissions Reduction Program (HRRP). It is not established whether readmissions fell for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), an HRRP condition added in 2014. OBJECTIVE: We sought to determine whether HRRP penalties influenced COPD readmissions among Medicare, Medicaid, or privately insured patients. DESIGN: We analyzed a retrospective cohort, evaluating readmissions across implementation periods for HRRP penalties ("pre-HRRP" January 2010-April 2011, "implementation" May 2011-September 2012, "partial penalty" October 2012-September 2014, and "full penalty" October 2014-December 2016). PATIENTS: We assessed discharged patients ≥ 40 years old with COPD versus those with HRRP Phase 1 conditions (AMI, CHF, and pneumonia) or non-HRRP residual diagnoses in the Nationwide Readmissions Database. INTERVENTIONS: HRRP was announced and implemented during this period, forming a natural experiment. MEASUREMENTS: We calculated differences-in-differences (DID) for 30-day COPD versus HRRP Phase 1 and non-HRRP readmissions. KEY RESULTS: COPD discharges for 1.2 million Medicare enrollees were compared with 22 million non-HRRP and 3.4 million HRRP Phase 1 discharges. COPD readmissions decreased from 19 to 17% over the study. This reduction was significantly greater than non-HRRP conditions (DID - 0.41%), but not HRRP Phase 1 (DID + 0.02%). A parallel trend was observed in the privately insured, with significant reduction compared with non-HRRP (DID - 0.83%), but not HRRP Phase 1 conditions (DID - 0.45%). Non-significant reductions occurred in Medicaid (DID - 0.52% vs. non-HRRP and - 0.21% vs. Phase 1 conditions). CONCLUSIONS: In Medicare, HRRP implementation was associated with reductions in COPD readmissions compared with non-HRRP controls but not versus other HRRP conditions. Parallel findings were observed in commercial insurance, but not in Medicaid. Condition-specific penalties may not reduce readmissions further than existing HRRP trends.
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