A new national study reveals that Medicare Advantage (MA) patients are experiencing longer hospital stays but are receiving far less post-acute care — a shift with serious implications for home care providers. Between 2018 and 2022, average hospital stays for MA patients increased from 6 to 7 days, and for those later admitted to nursing homes, the average jumped to 9 days — a 29% increase. At the same time, MA plans discharged 12.4% more patients directly to home health, bypassing skilled nursing facilities compared to traditional Medicare.

For home care agencies, this trend translates to a higher-acuity patient population arriving home with more complex needs and fewer rehabilitation services. Advocates warn that prior authorization requirements and cost-containment practices by MA plans are restricting access to medically necessary post-acute care, threatening recovery, increasing caregiver burden, and raising the risk of avoidable rehospitalizations.

As policymakers take a closer look at MA practices, home care leaders need to stay informed about how these changes affect frontline care. More importantly, they must be ready to advocate for the staffing, training, and resources essential to safely and effectively meet the needs of today’s increasingly complex home care patients.