A Health Podyssey

Listen to Health Affairs Editor-in-Chief Alan Weil interview J. Michael McWilliams about new research on skilled nursing facilities and taking costs out of the health care system.

Show Notes

Skilled nursing care is an important Medicare benefit but it also accounts for significant spending.

In Medicare, cost sharing applies to patients' care in skilled nursing facilities after the twentieth day of residence. This prompts a spike in discharges from facilities at that time. But does cutting short these skilled nursing facility stays at day 20 negatively impact patient health?

J. Michael McWilliams, a researcher from Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women's Hospital, and coauthors aimed to answer this question in a paper they published in the May 2021 issue of Health Affairs. They studied the extent to which skilled nursing facility discharges accelerated by Medicare cost sharing are safe.

McWilliams and coauthors found no clear evidence that those who are discharged face increased risk of death, hospitalization for fall-related injuries, or all-cause hospitalizations.

On this episode of A Health Podyssey, J. Michael McWilliams joins Health Affairs Editor-in-Chief Alan Weil to discuss this research and his perspective on the future of health care financing.

Pre-order the July 2021 Health Affairs issue.

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What is A Health Podyssey?

Each week, Health Affairs Editor-in-Chief Alan Weil brings you in-depth conversations with leading researchers and influencers shaping the big ideas in health policy and the health care industry.

A Health Podyssey goes beyond the pages of the health policy journal Health Affairs to tell stories behind the research and share policy implications. Learn how academics and economists frame their research questions and journey to the intersection of health, health care, and policy. Health policy nerds rejoice! This podcast is for you.