A new issue brief from the Commonwealth Fund shows how the modest increase in postacute care spending per beneficiary between 2007 and 2015 reflected dramatic changes in annual spending and care utilization growth rates. Postacute care spending growth slowed less among Medicare beneficiaries who had been hospitalized, suggesting these beneficiaries may continue to use costly postacute care at elevated rates.
The issue brief can be obtained at https://www.commonwealthfund.org/sites/default/files/2018-12/Keohane_trends_postacute_care_spending_ib.pdf.