NORC, Coalition report finds MA patients face longer hospital stays, reduced follow-up care access

A health care worker gently holds the hand of an older patient.

A report released June 17 by NORC at the University of Chicago, commissioned by the Coalition to Strengthen America’s Healthcare, found that patients enrolled in Medicare Advantage plans are more likely to experience longer hospital stays and experience delays in transfer to post-acute care facilities than those on Traditional Medicare. The report found that MA patients had 40% longer hospital stays, on average, than those with Traditional Medicare.

The study, which analyzed data from 2018 to 2022, highlights growing concerns about how MA plans may be limiting access to medically necessary post-acute care services through the use of prior authorization.

The AHA is a founding member of the Coalition.

Medicare

Medicare Advantage