This trend is attributed to MA plans potentially using prior authorization to limit costly post-acute care. The report asserts that these findings reveal a critical issue impacting patient recovery and overall healthcare costs, calling for policymaker attention to ensure appropriate and timely care access for seniors.
Amid increasing evidence that prior authorization and denials in Medicare Advantage (MA) may delay access to nursing homes, a new study shows that MA patients often experience longer hospital stays before discharge to a post-acute care setting, compared to those with traditional Medicare.
This is according to a June study by NORC at the University of Chicago, which examined Medicare claims data as well as MA encounter records from 2018 to 2022, focusing on discharges to post-acute settings such as home health agencies, skilled nursing facilities, inpatient rehabilitation, and long-term acute care hospitals.
Siddiqi, Z., (2025, June 25). Medicare advantage linked to delays in nursing home care, longer hospital stays. Skilled Nursing News. https://skillednursingnews.com/2025/06/medicare-advantage-linked-to-delays-in-nursing-home-care-longer-hospital-stays/
Marselas, K. (2025, June 23). MA plans extend hospital stays, reduce post-acute services – McKnight’s Long-Term Care News. McKnight’s Long-Term Care News. https://www.mcknights.com/news/ma-plans-extend-hospital-stays-reduce-post-acute-services/
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