The study examined Medicare enrollees in 12 states using Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project data.
Here are five insights:
1. The study found Medicare Advantage patients were 10 percent less likely to experience avoidable hospitalizations than traditional Medicare patients.
2. Medicare Advantage patients were 6 percent more likely to have referral-sensitive hospitalizations.
3. The researchers concluded future studies should examine whether their results are a product of payment incentives promoting efficiency, coordination and primary care.
4. The study also discovered a “spillover effect” in areas with more Medicare Advantage patients. That is, these areas experienced lower avoidable hospitalization rates and higher referral-sensitive hospitalization rates among all Medicare patients.
5. The researchers also discovered result discrepancies among the 12 states, and call for further studies.
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